Rescuers dispatched as passenger ship goes dark with 240 on board

A search is underway for an Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it encountered bad weather in the Java Sea while travelling from East Java to South Kalimantan province. The Search and Rescue Office in the city of Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, which is located on Borneo island, said it received a report two hours after communication was lost with the Virgo Transport 8 at about 2am on Sunday. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Putu Sudayana, who heads the Search and Rescue Office, said the ship had departed from Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city in East Java province, and was bound for Banjarmasin. "The ship's operator reported the incident to authorities after receiving information that the vessel had encountered bad weather," Mr Sudayana said.Initial information indicated the vessel's last known position was in the Java Sea, about 148 kilometres from Banjarmasin. The ship's manifest said it was carrying 241 passengers. It is understood the vessel's operator reported the loss of contact and confirmed the ship departed Surabaya on Saturday at 10:13am local time. In response, a rescue team was dispatched to Banjarmasin and a rescue ship was sent to the Virgo Transport 8's estimated last known position. Mr Sudayana, who is coordinating the search, said authorities were mobilising all available personnel and coordinating with maritime authorities and other relevant agencies in the search. AP