Indonesia’s search and rescue teams have recovered more victims from the wreck of the Virgo Transport 8 as divers continue a difficult operation to locate those still missing after the passenger ship capsized in the Java Sea.
The vessel was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew members, when it overturned in bad weather on Sept. 13 while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
The latest recovery came as divers searched inside the overturned hull. The victim was brought out for identification, while authorities continued using divers and aerial assets in the search operation. At the time of the initial report, nine people had been confirmed dead, 108 had survived and 126 remained unaccounted for.
The operation has become increasingly difficult because the ferry sank to the seabed after remaining partially afloat for several days. Strong currents, waves and the position of the vessel have complicated efforts to reach its interior.
Divers had previously recovered three bodies from inside the ship, marking the first successful entry into the wreck after several days of dangerous underwater conditions. Authorities then began preparations to reposition and right the vessel to make further recovery work possible.
The situation has since moved further. Indonesian authorities reported on Sept. 21 that two additional bodies had been recovered from inside the sunken ferry, bringing the number of victims found and evacuated to 120 — 108 survivors and 12 confirmed dead — with 123 people still missing.
The scale of the search has prompted authorities to extend the recovery operation by another week. The decision reflects both the large number of people still missing and the technical challenges involved in righting the sunken vessel.
The ferry was carrying 89 vehicles in addition to its passengers and crew. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a thorough and objective investigation into the disaster, while instructing authorities to coordinate the rescue operation and ensure the rights of victims’ families are addressed.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Authorities have said the vessel encountered strong waves and winds before developing a severe list, after which communication with the ship was lost.
For families waiting for news, the operation is now a race against difficult underwater conditions and time. With more than 100 people still unaccounted for, every new recovery from the wreck could provide another answer — and potentially change the picture of one of Indonesia’s most serious maritime disasters this month.
