At least six people have died, and 107 others have been rescued after a passenger ferry sank in the Java Sea, Indonesian authorities have confirmed.
The vessel, identified as Virgo Transport8, was reportedly caught in severe weather while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
Authorities lost contact with the ferry after it encountered rough conditions. It was last reported to be about 150km south of Banjarmasin at around 02:00 local time on Sunday.
Search and rescue teams have been deployed to the area, with ships and a helicopter involved in the operation. About 280 personnel from Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, navy, maritime police and other agencies are taking part in the effort.
Authorities have also alerted other vessels operating in the Java Sea to watch for survivors or any signs of those still missing.
The ferry had 213 passengers and 30 crew members on board. It is approximately 119 metres long.
According to maritime tracking data, the vessel departed Surabaya at 10:33 on Saturday and was expected to reach Banjarmasin at around 14:00 on Sunday. The first distress alert was received at approximately 04:10.
Meanwhile, anxious relatives have gathered at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin seeking information about their loved ones.
Among them is Rusmilawati, who was waiting for news about eight relatives who had been travelling on the ferry after visiting the graves of Islamic scholars in Java.
She told BBC Indonesia that her relatives had initially travelled to Java by air but decided to return by sea.
By Sunday afternoon, she said the family had still not received confirmation about whether their relatives had survived.
Their last communication came through a WhatsApp status posted by one of the passengers, who described the waves as frightening.
The ongoing search operation is expected to continue as authorities work to locate the remaining passengers and establish the circumstances surrounding the disaster.