Search Underway for Missing Ferry Passengers After Virgo Transport 8 Capsizes in Java Sea
A major search and rescue operation is active in Indonesia's Java Sea after the ferry Virgo Transport 8 capsized on Sunday morning. With 243 people on board, at least six bodies have been recovered and approximately 107 to 108 individuals rescued, leaving around 130 missing.
Indonesian authorities have launched an extensive search and rescue mission following the capsize of the ferry Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea on Sunday morning. The vessel, which was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan province, lost contact with shore control at approximately 2 a.m. local time.
According to the ship's manifest, there were 243 people on board, comprising 213 passengers and 30 crew members. The captain reported encountering rough seas with waves reaching up to 3 meters before issuing a distress call indicating that the ship was listing. As of Sunday afternoon, rescue teams had recovered at least six bodies and saved between 107 and 108 people. Approximately 130 individuals remain missing.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that aerial surveillance confirmed the 119-meter ferry, built in Japan in 1987, was floating upside down but had not sunk. The last known position of the vessel was recorded in the Java Sea, roughly 148 to 150 kilometers from Banjarmasin.
The rescue effort involves multiple agencies, including the Indonesian Navy, Maritime Police, and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), utilizing both ships and helicopters. Hundreds of anxious relatives have gathered at command centers located at Trisakti port in Banjarmasin and Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, checking manifests and waiting for news about their loved ones. Injured survivors are being transported to nearby hospitals as the operation continues.