Jakarta, September 13 (QNA) - Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) launched a major search operation for the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ship carrying 243 people after it lost contact in the Java Sea early Sunday.

Head of the search and rescue office in Banjarmasin I Putu Sudayana said the vessel lost contact around 2 a.m. local time after encountering severe weather while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.

A six-person initial response team was deployed aboard rescue vessel KN SAR Laksmana 241 and headed for the ship’s last known position, about a five-hour journey by sea. (QNA)