Indonesia Ferry Carrying 240 Loses Contact, Search Underway

Indonesian rescuers are searching the Java Sea for 140 people from the passenger-and-cargo ship Virgo Transport 8 after it lost contact during bad weather on Sunday. The vessel had departed Surabaya in East Java for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and was last detected about 148 to 150 kilometers from its destination. Authorities said 103 people were evacuated by other ships, but one later died; reports initially said there were no casualties and differed slightly on the total number aboard. Rescue teams, vessels and a helicopter have been deployed, while officials have not explained what happened to the ship.