Indonesian ship with 243 people aboard missing in Java Sea — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): An Indonesian passenger ship carrying 243 people was reported missing after losing contact in the Java Sea early on Sunday amid bad weather, the country’s search and rescue agency said. Reuters, quoting the agency, reported that the Virgo Transport 8 set sail on Saturday from the East Java city of Surabaya for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan before contact with the vessel was lost. “At the time of this statement, the ship cannot be contacted and its whereabouts are unknown,” the agency said. Rescuers have launched a search operation, deploying a team towards the vessel’s last known position, the agency added. Indonesia, an archipelago of around 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries as a key mode of transportation, with sea routes more affordable and readily available than air travel. However, safety standards are not always rigorously enforced, resulting in a relatively high accident rate.