Indonesia, Sept. 13 -- Rescuers have pulled 102 survivors and one deceased victim from the Java Sea after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger vessel carrying 243 people lost contact early Sunday morning.

Head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office I Putu Sudayana said three nearby commercial vessels located and secured the individuals after responding to the distress situation.

"The total number of passengers successfully evacuated as of 12:00 p.m. Central Indonesian Time (GMT+8) stands at 103," Sudayana said during a press conference here on Sunday.

He noted that the TB Mauhaw IX - also called the MT Mauhau, a tanker vessel operated by PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, a subsidiary of Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina - re...