JAKARTA — A major search-and-rescue operation is underway in Indonesia after the passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 encountered severe weather in the Java Sea, lost contact and was later reported to have overturned, leaving one person dead and about 140 others still unaccounted for.
The vessel was carrying 243 people — 213 passengers and 30 crew members, according to the ship’s manifest. It departed Surabaya in East Java on Saturday, September 12, bound for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.
The crisis unfolded early Sunday after the vessel reported rough weather and waves reaching around 2.5 to 3 meters. The captain reportedly warned that the ship was tilting before communications were lost at around 2 a.m. local time.
Indonesian authorities subsequently received information indicating that the ferry had overturned.
By Sunday afternoon, rescuers had managed to evacuate 103 people, while one passenger was confirmed dead. That leaves roughly 140 people still missing, although authorities continue to work to establish the precise number of people still unaccounted for.
Rescue Operation Expands
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, has deployed multiple vessels and rescue personnel to the area, with additional maritime assets and an aircraft involved in the search.
Reports from Indonesian media said survivors were picked up by several vessels. Among them, TB Mauhaw IX evacuated 16 people, including one deceased passenger; TB TCP rescued 38 survivors; and MV Haida rescued another 49 people.
A Basarnas helicopter was also deployed to conduct an aerial search, while vessels including KN SAR Laksmana, KRI Nala and KM Kunyit were involved in the wider operation.
The ferry’s last known position was approximately 148 kilometers from Banjarmasin, according to reports carried by The Associated Press and CNA.
But the rescue operation is being complicated by dangerous sea conditions.
I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, said rescuers were facing waves of up to about 2.5 meters, making the operation particularly hazardous even for rescue vessels.
What Happened to the Ferry?
Authorities have not yet released a definitive explanation for why the vessel overturned.
What is known so far is that the ship encountered bad weather, the captain reported that it was listing or tilting, and communications were subsequently lost. Indonesian authorities are still working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
The incident highlights the risks faced by Indonesia’s maritime transport system. With thousands of islands and extensive inter-island travel, ferries remain a crucial form of transportation across the country.
CNA noted that Indonesia has experienced a series of serious maritime accidents, with unpredictable weather and concerns over safety standards frequently cited as contributing factors.
The latest disaster also comes amid a series of recent ferry incidents in the region, including fatal ferry accidents in Indonesia and the Philippines, underscoring the continuing dangers faced by passengers and seafarers operating in difficult sea conditions.
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