Six people died and 107 were rescued following a ferry disaster in the Java Sea, Indonesian authorities reported. The fate of 130 passengers remains unknown after contact was lost with the vessel "Virgo Transport 8", which had encountered a storm.

The ferry was en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) and made its last contact about 150 km south of Banjarmasin at 02:00 on Sunday (18:00 GMT on Saturday). There were 213 passengers and 30 crew members on board, and the vessel was 119 meters long.

Ships and a helicopter have been dispatched to the scene, and 280 personnel are involved in the search-and-rescue operation. All vessels in the Java Sea area have been instructed to report any signs of passengers. A joint task force comprising the Indonesian rescue agency, the Navy, and the marine police has been established to coordinate the rescue efforts.

The ferry departed from Surabaya on Saturday at 10:33 and was scheduled to arrive in Banjarmasin on Sunday at 14:00. The first distress signal was received at 04:10.

Relatives of the passengers and crew are gathering at the ports of Banjarmasin and Surabaya, awaiting news. One of the survivors, truck driver Ahmad Supandi, was rescued by the vessel MV Haida.

The Indonesian archipelago comprises more than 17 thousand islands, and ferry travel is a common mode of transport in the country; however, maritime accidents occur regularly, with authorities recording 111 incidents between 2020 and 2026. In July, the vessel "KM Nurul Salsa" sank off Pollassi Island, resulting in three deaths and leaving 14 people missing. Last month, five people died in a fire aboard another ferry off Madura Island.