Indonesian authorities are searching for 129 people who went missing after a ferry overturned in rough seas in the Java Sea on Sunday. The Virgo Transport 8 was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan province when it capsized. The ship was carrying more than 240 people and had issued a distress call as it listed in waves up to three meters high.
Contact with the ferry was lost around two in the morning on Sunday, and authorities learned of its overturning about two hours later, according to France 24. The ferry capsized near Masalembo waters, about 148 kilometers from Banjarmasin. Videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed the overturned ferry floating in rough water during a helicopter search, according to a report from NPR.
On Monday, search teams deployed 17 ships and aircraft with about 655 personnel from military, police, and other agencies. Specialized underwater teams and navy-operated drones were deployed for the search, but rough seas made it difficult to reach the partially submerged wreck. Officials said they remained hopeful of finding more survivors. The capsized vessel remained partly above water with its underside visible as rescue boats worked nearby.
On Sunday, rescuers had already saved 108 people and recovered six bodies. The ferry's manifest listed 243 people aboard, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members. The ship also carried 89 vehicles, and was 119 meters long. Authorities cautioned that the number of people actually aboard Indonesian ferries can sometimes differ from the manifest.
The ferry was built in Japan in 1987 and had operated there until last year, when it was sold to Indonesia, according to the Associated Press. Survivors described how the ship suddenly listed without warning, causing panic among passengers. One survivor said many people had to sleep in hallways because cabins were full. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the ferry had capacity for 500 passengers and was not overloaded.
Another survivor recalled that passengers scrambled to the upper deck as the ferry tilted further. He speculated that the ship’s balance may have been affected by trucks loaded on one side. Fifteen passengers clung to a section of the ferry that stayed above water after it capsized.
They recited the Islamic call to prayer while waiting for rescue in rough seas. One survivor said a wave helped him reach a lifeboat, which saved his life. Families of missing passengers gathered at ports in Banjarmasin and Surabaya, waiting for updates.
The cause of the accident has not yet been determined. Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands where ferry travel is common. Ferry accidents happen regularly, partly due to weak enforcement of safety standards.