Indonesian authorities have intensified the search for 129 people missing after the passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea on Sunday. Basarnas said 108 people had been rescued and at least six had died by Monday, while 622 personnel and about 12 ships were deployed.
What happened to the ship
Basarnas said the ship lost contact with its operator during poor weather while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said a passing helicopter reported that the vessel had capsized.
Edy Prakoso, an official at the national rescue agency, said strong waves struck the ship’s starboard side, causing it to lean heavily to one side. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
Key points
- The ship was carrying 243 people on a voyage from Surabaya on Java to Banjarmasin on Borneo.
- The capsized vessel is about 80 nautical miles, or roughly 150km, from the rescue command centre at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin.
- High waves, strong winds and choppy water are hampering rescue operations.
- The vessel had a stated capacity of 500 passengers, according to the transport minister.
Rough seas limit the response
Mohammad Syafii, head of the national rescue agency, said choppy waters, high waves and strong winds were impeding the search. Arianto Ardi of the rescue agency said the wind was also making it difficult for vessels to dock near the capsized ship. Read the context: Rescuers search for survivors after Indonesia’s 7.7 earthquake.
Syafii said personnel trained in underwater rescue would also be deployed, but conditions did not allow that operation at the time.
A recurring risk for island travel
Ferries are widely used in Indonesia because sea travel between the country’s islands is cheaper and more accessible than flying. The source also reported two separate ferry fires the previous month: five people died off Madura Island and one person died on a ferry travelling from Bali.
What happens next
Basarnas said the search for the missing people was continuing from early Monday, with rescue crews operating despite the difficult sea conditions.
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