6 dead as search continues for 130 missing ferry passengers

International

MORE than 130 people remain missing after an Indonesian ferry carrying 243 passengers and crew capsized in the Java Sea, with six confirmed dead and 107 rescued.

The Virgo Transport8 was travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it encountered bad weather. The vessel was last reported about 150km (93 miles) south of Banjarmasin at around 02:00 on Sunday, or 18:00 GMT on Saturday.

A search and rescue operation involving 280 personnel, ships and a helicopter is under way. Other vessels operating in the Java Sea have also been alerted to report any possible sightings of passengers.

According to a BBC report, the ferry was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members. It left Surabaya at 10:33 on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Banjarmasin at 14:00 on Sunday, according to data from two maritime monitoring websites. Authorities received the initial distress report at 04:10.

Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, navy, maritime police and other agencies have formed a joint task force to coordinate the operation.

Relatives of passengers have gathered at ports in Banjarmasin and Surabaya seeking information about their loved ones. Some families said they had received no word since the ferry’s departure, while others were waiting for confirmation about whether relatives had been rescued.

In one case, relatives said they had last heard from a passenger through a WhatsApp status update describing frightening waves and the vessel’s heavy movement during the journey.

Some families have also received news that relatives survived. One passenger, a freight driver, was rescued by the vessel MV Haida, according to reports.

Relatives of crew members have similarly been waiting at Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya. One missing crew member worked aboard the ferry as a keyboard player entertaining passengers, according to his family.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries for transport. Government data show 111 ship accidents were recorded between 2020 and 2026.

In July, KM Nurul Salsa sank off Polassi Island in South Sulawesi, leaving three people dead and 14 missing. Last month, a separate ferry fire off Madura island killed five people.

The search for those missing from the Virgo Transport8 is continuing.(MyTVCebu)