Indonesian passenger ship with 243 people missing at sea

A passenger ship identified as the Virgo Transport 8 has gone missing off the coast of Indonesia while traveling from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The vessel, which was carrying 243 people, lost communication with authorities during severe weather conditions.

The captain of the Virgo Transport 8 reportedly sent a distress signal around 02:00 local time on September 13, 2026, indicating that the vessel was tilting. The Indonesian search and rescue agency has officially confirmed the disappearance and has launched a large-scale operation to locate the ship. Rescue units have been dispatched to the last known coordinates of the vessel, and nearby tugboats have also joined the search efforts.

Authorities have categorized the situation as a major search and rescue mission due to the high number of passengers involved. Operations are currently underway to determine the exact cause of the incident and to locate survivors in the area where contact was lost.