Indonesian rescuers reported that 129 passengers and crew members were missing after a ferry overturned in rough weather in the Java Sea on Sunday. The captain of the Virgo Transport 8 had earlier sent a message about severe sea conditions with waves reaching up to ten feet before declaring that the ship was tilting. The rescue team in Banjarmasin, a city in South Kalimantan, received the first report about the missing ferry two hours after contact was lost. Initial information placed the last known location of the ship in the Java Sea, about 92 miles from Banjarmasin. According to the ship’s manifest, the ferry was carrying 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members. The number of passengers on board often differs from what is listed in the manifest, which is a common occurrence in Indonesia. The vessel was also carrying 89 vehicles.
The Virgo Transport 8 is about 119 meters, or 390 feet, long. It was built in Japan in 1987. The vessel operated in Japan until last year before being sold to Indonesian operator PT Virgo Karya Shipping. It had departed from Surabaya in East Java on Saturday and was headed for Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo.
Six people died during the incident and 108 others were rescued from the vessel, according to Reuters. The ferry was traveling between Java and Borneo when it encountered dangerous weather conditions. Local search and rescue official I Putu Sudayana said that rescuers had done everything possible to find those still missing. By Monday, authorities said 108 people had been rescued and six bodies had been recovered. That left 129 people missing based on the ship’s manifest.
Rescuers battled waves as high as 2.5 meters while trying to reach the vessel. Sudayana also warned that even a large rescue boat, which is forty meters long, was at great risk in the current situation. The dangerous conditions complicated efforts to reach people who might still be in the water or trapped near the overturned vessel.
More than 600 people were involved in the search by Monday. Sudayana told Reuters that 622 personnel and about 12 ships had been deployed. Search teams were concentrating on the area around the capsized ferry. Video released by Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency showed the ship partially submerged with its underside above the water.
A passing helicopter confirmed that the ferry had capsized. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the cause of the accident was still being investigated. Another rescue official said strong waves had struck the ship’s starboard side before it leaned heavily. Authorities have not yet announced a final determination of what caused the ferry to overturn.
Survivors described frightening conditions in the water. One passenger, Rinto Arahab, told Reuters that he held onto the ferry’s railings after the vessel overturned. He was eventually able to climb to a higher part of the ship while it moved in the rough sea.
Families gathered at a rescue center in Banjarmasin as they waited for information. One woman told Reuters that she had been speaking by phone with her husband aboard the ferry before the connection was lost. Relatives checked passenger lists and updates from rescue officials as the operation continued.
This incident follows another recent maritime event, when a speedboat with eight people, including five journalists covering Mount Anak Krakatoa’s eruption, went missing earlier in the week. The missing group included five photojournalists, two boat crew members and a guide. Their speedboat left Carita in Banten province while heading toward the volcanic island. The final message from the boat was received Monday evening after the group reported reaching waters near Anak Krakatau. Their last known location was about 11.5 miles from shore.
Search teams expanded that operation across the Sunda Strait. Navy ships and other vessels were involved. The two incidents are separate and occurred hundreds of miles apart.
The search for the ferry continues as officials work to locate more survivors or victims. Indonesia is made up of more than 17,000 islands, and boats are a common way for people to travel between them. Sea travel is often cheaper and more accessible than air transportation across the country.
The accident follows other recent ferry disasters in Indonesia. Two ferries caught fire in separate incidents last month. Five people died in a fire near Madura Island and another person died in a ferry fire involving a vessel traveling from Bali.
This is an ongoing story with more details expected in the coming hours. The totals could change as search crews reach more of the area around the overturned Virgo Transport 8.