Passenger Ship 'Virgo Transport 8' on Surabaya-Banjarmasin Route Reported Missing in Java Sea

The passenger ship 'Virgo Transport 8', en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, has been reported missing in the Java Sea off the coast of South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The vessel was reportedly carrying 240 passengers. Initial information from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) South Kalimantan indicates the last known location was approximately 80 nautical miles (about 148 kilometers) from the SAR Basirih dock in Banjarmasin, with coordinates at 4°31'51.82"S 114° 2'6.88"E, heading 203.94°. There has been no immediate confirmation of casualties. Arianto Ardi, Head of Operations for Basarnas Banjarmasin, confirmed the incident to Liputan6.com, stating that the agency is en route to the location and has established a temporary post at Trisakti Port. Earlier reports indicated that the 'Virgo Transport 8' lost contact after receiving a final transmission about encountering severe weather. The General Manager of Virgo Transport 8 subsequently reported the incident to the Banjarmasin SAR Office to request search and rescue assistance. A rescue team of six individuals was dispatched by Basarnas Banjarmasin, traveling by Rescue Car D-Max to the SAR Basirih dock before boarding the KN SAR Laksmana 241 search and rescue vessel to reach the Last Known Position (LKP). The estimated travel time to the LKP is five hours. The current weather conditions in the area are reported as clear. Source: Liputan6