Indonesia, Sept. 13 -- At least six people died and 140 remain missing after the Virgo Transport 8 ferry carrying 243 people lost contact in the Java Sea on Sunday, Indonesia's national search and rescue agency, Basarnas, reported.

The 8,540-gross-ton vessel lost contact at around 2:00 a.m. local time on Sunday while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.

The ship was carrying 30 crew members, 27 personnel, 60 passengers, and 126 drivers and assistants, alongside 89 vehicles.

Emergency teams rescued 97 survivors and recovered six bodies out of 103 people pulled from the water by passing vessels.

According to SAR Mission Coordinator I Putu Sudayana, the tugboat TB Mauhaw IX rescued 16 people-15 survivors and one fatality-while the TB ...