CenterHigh
WDSU New Orleans (Hearst)News report · Sep 13, 3:34 AM
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship
Indonesian rescuers have launched a search operation after a passenger ship carrying at least 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea
← Today's headlines
20 sources checked · Left, Center, and Right included · 3h ago
Different Spin
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship
While some outlets report on the search for a missing Indonesian ship and its passengers, one dramatically highlights casualties, bad weather, and an urgent rescue.
7 Left6 Center7 Right
DIFFERENT SPIN
HOW EACH SIDE WORDED IT
Left-leaningCenter-leftSearch underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it loses contact
Philadelphia InquirerHigh
Right-leaningOne dead and 140 missing after passenger ferry hits bad weather as urgent search & rescue launched in Indonesia
The Sun UKLow
One dead140 missingbad weather
Center baseline · 
WDSU New Orleans (Hearst)HighSearch underway for Indonesian passenger ship
As of September 13, 2026 at 8:08 AM, this is how Optics News reads the wording differences in this story.
What happened Indonesian rescuers have launched a search operation after a passenger ship carrying at least 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea.
The headline split The left frames it as "Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it lose...". The right frames it as "One dead and 140 missing after passenger ferry hits bad weather as urgent search & rescue...".
Match confidence High confidence. 20 sources checked, Left/Center/Right all represented. Best read as a clear framing signal — not a fact-check.
Same-event confidenceHigh
20 sources across Left, Center, and Right all describe the same event.
Framing confidenceStrong
80/99 — headlines create a clearly different first impression.
WHAT EACH SIDE EMPHASIZED
Left / center-leftSearch underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it loses contact
Philadelphia Inquirer · Center-left · News report
CenterSearch underway for Indonesian passenger ship
WDSU New Orleans (Hearst) · Center · News report
Right / center-rightRescuers searching for 140 people after missing Indonesian passenger ship located
The Jerusalem Post · Center-right · News report
SEE THE HEADLINES
Open source
Center-rightMostly Factual
The Jerusalem PostNews report · Sep 13, 8:08 AM
Rescuers searching for 140 people after missing Indonesian passenger ship located
140 peoplemissinglocated
The Indonesian passenger ship carrying 243 people was reported missing after losing contact early on Sunday during bad weather.
Center-leftHigh
Philadelphia InquirerNews report · Sep 13, 6:49 AM
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it loses contact
Indonesian rescuers have launched a search operation after a passenger ship carrying more than 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while traveling from East Java to South Kalimantan on...
RightLow
The Sun UKNews report · Sep 13, 6:19 AM
One dead and 140 missing after passenger ferry hits bad weather as urgent search & rescue launched in Indonesia
One dead140 missingbad weatherurgent search & rescue
AT least one person has died and a further 140 passengers are still missing from a stricken Indonesian passenger ferry. Rescuers lost contact with the Virgo Transport 8 ship, which was carr...
RightMixed
The Sun (US)News report · Sep 13, 6:19 AM
One dead and 140 missing after passenger ferry hits bad weather as urgent search & rescue launched in Indonesia
AT least one person has died and a further 140 passengers are still missing from a stricken Indonesian passenger ferry. Rescuers lost contact with the Virgo Transport 8 ship, which was carr...
CenterHigh
The Sydney Morning HeraldNews report · Sep 13, 6:18 AM
Rescuers searching for 140 people from Indonesia passenger ship
140 people
Indonesian authorities are searching for 140 passengers lost from a ship in the Java Sea overnight, while 103 others were evacuated and one has died.
Show all 20 sources
Center-leftMostly Factual
The Age (Australia)News report · Sep 13, 6:18 AM
Rescuers searching for 140 people from Indonesia passenger ship
Indonesian authorities are searching for 140 passengers lost from a ship in the Java Sea overnight, while 103 others were evacuated and one has died.
CenterHigh
ABC News Australia Top StoriesNews report · Sep 13, 5:46 AM
Rescuers dispatched as passenger ship goes dark with 240 on board
Communication has been lost with an Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it encountered bad weather in the Java Sea.
Center-leftHigh
Guardian WorldNews report · Sep 13, 5:10 AM
Indonesian rescue crews searching for 140 people after ferry hit bad weather
More than 100 others on board were evacuated from the Virgo Transport 8 ship, including one who died Indonesian rescuers were searching on Sunday for 140 people from a passenger ship that...
Center-rightMixed
New York PostNews report · Sep 13, 4:52 AM
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it loses contact
The ship had departed from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city in East Java province, en route to Banjarmasin.
CenterMostly Factual
CNA SingaporeNews report · Sep 13, 4:37 AM
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying 240 people after it loses contact
The Virgo Transport 8 had left Surabaya for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on Borneo island.
Center-leftHigh
ABC NewsNews report · Sep 13, 4:14 AM
Search underway after Indonesian passenger ship carrying hundreds loses contact
Indonesian rescuers have launched a search operation after a passenger ship carrying more than 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while traveling from East Java to South Kalimantan on...
Center-leftHigh
CBS NewsNews report · Sep 13, 3:56 AM
Search underway after Indonesian passenger ship loses contact
Indonesian rescuers launched a search operation after authorities lost contact with a passenger ship carrying more than 240 people in the Java Sea.
Center-rightMostly Factual
Fox News WorldNews report · Sep 13, 3:55 AM
Indonesian passenger ship carrying 240 people loses contact in Java Sea, search underway
The Virgo Transport 8 vanished crossing the Java Sea with 240 people aboard en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, triggering an urgent search.
Center-leftMixed
The Mirror UKNews report · Sep 13, 3:34 AM
Urgent search as huge passenger ship with 240 people on board missing in Indonesia
The Virgo Transport 8 experienced a communication failure in the Java Sea on Sunday - an operation is now underway to try and located the ship and the 241 people on board
Center-rightHigh
Sky NewsNews report · Sep 13, 3:34 AM
Search for 140 people missing from Indonesian passenger ship
Indonesian officials say 103 people have been rescued at sea after a passenger ship carrying more than 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea during bad weather.
CenterMostly Factual
South China Morning PostNews report · Sep 13, 3:29 AM
Missing Indonesian passenger ship found, 103 people rescued
Indonesian rescuers were searching on Sunday for 140 people from a passenger ship that was earlier reported missing in the Java Sea after 103 others were evacuated, one of whom died, a sea...
CenterMixed
Arab NewsNews report · Sep 13, 3:21 AM
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying at least 240 people after it loses contact
Indonesian rescuers launched a search operation Sunday after a passenger ship carrying at least 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while traveling from East Java to South Kalimantan on...
RightMixed
Independent Journal ReviewNews report · Sep 13, 3:12 AM
Indonesia Ferry Carrying 240 Loses Contact, Search Underway
An Indonesian passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 carrying about 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, triggering a rescue operation with no imme...
Center-leftHigh
The Seattle TimesNews report · Sep 13, 2:53 AM
Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people after it loses contact
Indonesian rescuers have launched a search operation after a passenger ship carrying more than 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while traveling from East Java to South Kalimantan on...
Details80/99 Wording Gap · High confidence · 20 sources
80/99 Wording GapHigh confidence20 sources · 3 bias bucketsStable · 34 sources · all three buckets · comparable news formatFormats: News report
SOURCE MAP CHANGES
Sep 13, 2:53 AM: The Seattle Times joined the source map.
Sep 13, 3:12 AM: Independent Journal Review joined the source map.
Sep 13, 3:21 AM: Arab News joined the source map.
Sep 13, 3:29 AM: South China Morning Post joined the source map.
Now: Wording Gap is 80/99 and story health is stable · 34 sources · all three buckets · comparable news format.