Search expands for hundreds after Indonesian ferry capsizes in Java Sea

A passenger ferry traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin capsized in the Java Sea on Sunday, leaving about 130 people unaccounted for, authorities said. Rescue officials reported that at least 107 passengers and crew have been rescued and six bodies recovered, while the search continues around the vessel's last known location.

The ship, identified as Virgo Transport 8, was carrying 243 people according to its manifest, including 213 passengers, 30 crew members and 89 vehicles. The captain had warned of rough seas with waves up to 10 feet before issuing a distress call that the vessel was listing, after which contact was lost at approximately 2 a.m.

The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office dispatched a rescue vessel and, by the afternoon, had mobilised eight ships – four of them navy vessels – and two helicopters to the area about 92 miles from Banjarmasin. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said aerial surveillance showed the ferry floating upside down but not submerged, prompting rescuers to focus on the overturned hull.

Relatives gathered at a command centre in Trisakti port, Banjarmasin, checking passenger lists and awaiting updates. > "I was shocked when I saw my uncle's name on the passenger list, but I felt relieved after officials told me he had been rescued," said a woman identified only as Bunga.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferry transport, and maritime accidents are frequent, often attributed to lax safety enforcement.