One Dead, 103 Rescued from Ferry in Indonesia Storm

On Sunday, a ferry named Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 passengers and crew, faced severe weather while sailing between the Indonesian islands of Java and Borneo. The vessel lost contact with its shipping company early in the morning after departing from Surabaya, East Java.

Local search and rescue chief I Putu Sudayana confirmed that one passenger died, while 103 others were successfully evacuated. Rescuers faced dangerous waves of up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) during the operation.

The ship's captain reported that the ferry was "tilting" before losing contact, with its last known position detected in the Java Sea, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) from its destination. Heri Purwanto, head of the Banjarmasin Sea Port Authority, stated that the safety of everyone on board was the top priority.

A command center was established at Banjarmasin port, with paramedics and ambulances on standby for the rescued passengers.