Rescue workers in Indonesia reported that at least six people died and 130 others are missing after the ferry Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea on Sunday. The vessel, which departed from Surabaya on Saturday with 243 passengers and 30 crew, lost contact at 2 a.m. and was later found overturned.
Basarnas, the national search and rescue agency, has recovered 107 people from the wreck. The rescue operation involved a 40‑metre Basarnas vessel and a helicopter, and evacuees were transferred to other ships for transport to East Java ports. The last known position of the ferry was about 150 km from Banjarmasin, the intended destination.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed that the ship had capsized but had not sunk, citing helicopter surveillance. Banjarmasin port authority head Heri Purwanto said the ferry lost contact near its final waypoint. Rescue chief I Putu Sudayana warned that waves up to 2.5 metres made the operation dangerous for both the stranded vessel and the rescue craft.
Indonesia’s 17,000‑island archipelago depends heavily on ferries, yet safety standards are often lax, contributing to a high accident rate. Recent maritime incidents include a missing speedboat near Mount Anak Krakatau, a ferry fire that claimed a life in the Lombok Strait, and a July sinking near Selayar. Families of passengers are awaiting updates as rescue teams continue their search.
