Six Dead, 130 Missing After Indonesian Ferry Capsizes in Java Sea

Six people have died and 130 remain missing after the Indonesian passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea. Authorities have rescued 107 people from the vessel.

The ferry, carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members for a total of 243 people, lost contact around 02:00 on Sunday. Its last known position was approximately 150km (93 miles) south of Banjarmasin. The ship was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan province on Borneo Island. The captain reported rough seas with waves up to 3 meters (10 feet) before issuing a distress call, stating the ship was listing.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed the vessel capsized but had not sunk as of Sunday afternoon. Indonesia's search and rescue agency, Basarnas, received the initial distress report at 04:10. A joint task force, including the navy and maritime police, launched a search and rescue operation involving 280 personnel, eight vessels, and two helicopters. Rescuers are battling waves up to 2.5 meters (8.2ft), which pose risks to even 40-meter Basarnas vessels.

Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that relies heavily on boat transport. This incident marks the second major ferry accident in five days and the fourth major ferry emergency since July. The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was built in Japan in 1987. The exact cause of the capsizing is not yet determined.