Indonesia Intensifies Search for 129 Missing After Passenger Ship Capsizes

Indonesian rescue teams are battling rough seas as they search for 129 people still missing after a passenger ferry capsized in the Java Sea, leaving at least six people dead.

The Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 people, was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it ran into severe weather early Sunday. Authorities said the vessel encountered waves of up to three metres, causing it to list before eventually overturning.

Rescuers have so far saved 108 people and recovered six bodies, while the search continues for those unaccounted for. More than 600 rescue personnel, supported by ships, aircraft and helicopters, have been deployed in the operation.

The search has been complicated by strong winds, high waves and difficult sea conditions. Rescue officials said some vessels have reached the capsized ferry, but boarding the overturned ship has been difficult because of the turbulent waters.

Authorities have also prepared underwater rescue specialists, although conditions have so far prevented divers from operating safely. The vessel is located about 80 nautical miles (nearly 150 kilometres) from Banjarmasin’s Trisakti Port, according to rescue officials.

The ferry’s captain reportedly issued a distress call after the vessel began listing. A passing helicopter later spotted the ship overturned in the Java Sea.

Survivors have described chaotic moments after the vessel capsized. One passenger told Reuters that he held onto the ship’s railings and climbed to a higher section of the vessel as it was tossed by the waves.

The ferry was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members, as well as 89 vehicles, according to the manifest. Indonesian officials said the vessel had a capacity of 500 passengers and therefore was not overloaded. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The disaster has once again raised concerns about maritime safety in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries remain an important and relatively affordable means of transportation.

The latest incident also comes after several other maritime accidents in the region, including ferry fires in Indonesia last month that killed six people.

As rescue crews continue working in difficult conditions, families of missing passengers have gathered in Banjarmasin awaiting information about their loved ones.