One dead, 140 missing from ferry off Indonesia

A ferry carrying about 240 people in the Java Sea off Indonesia has lost contact. The country's search and rescue authorities said one person is dead and 140 are unaccounted for.

The officials said the ferry operator informed them early Sunday morning that it lost communication with the vessel, which was sailing to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

They also said that a search operation was launched and about 100 people were rescued, but one person was confirmed dead.

Search and rescue efforts are continuing.

Authorities said the ferry left Surabaya in East Java on Saturday and crew members told the operator that they were experiencing bad weather.