6 killed, 140 missing after Indonesian ship carrying 243 capsizes in Java Sea

Six people died and 140 others remain missing after an Indonesian passenger ship carrying 243 people capsized Sunday in the Java Sea, state-run news agency Antara reported.

Emergency teams rescued 97 people alive and recovered the bodies of six people from the water as of 12 pm Central Indonesian Time (0500 GMT).

I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, said three nearby commercial vessels responded to the distress situation and located and rescued the ship's passengers.

Currently, 140 people remain missing, he added.

The Virgo Transport 8 was en route from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, when communication was lost at around 2 am Central Indonesian Time (1800GMT Saturday).

Sudayana earlier said his office received the emergency report two hours later and a joint search and rescue team immediately departed for the area.

The ship was facing bad weather in the waters of the Java Sea, approximately 80 nautical miles (92 miles) from the Basirih SAR Dock, Banjarmasin, according to Sudayana.

Of the 243 people on board, 30 were crew members, 27 personnel, 60 passengers, and 126 drivers and assistants. The ship was also carrying 89 vehicles.