BANJARMASIN, Indonesia — Approximately 130 passengers and crew are reported as missing after a ferry carrying more than 240 individuals capsized in the Java Sea due to severe weather conditions on Sunday. This incident took place near Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
The disaster led to a massive search and rescue operation. At least 107 individuals have been rescued from the waters, while six bodies were recovered. Rescue efforts are focusing on the last known location of the ferry. The ill-fated vessel was making its way from Surabaya, East Java to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.
The ferry’s captain had earlier communicated to authorities about experiencing harsh seas, with waves reaching heights of up to 10 feet. A distress signal was sent when the ship began listing, according to I Putu Sudayana, head of Banjarmasin’s Search and Rescue Office. Subsequently, reports confirmed that the ferry had capsized and then sunk.
The Banjarmasin rescue agency received notification of the incident about two hours after losing contact with the ship, identified as Virgo Transport 8, around 2 a.m. on Sunday. Information from the ferry’s operator highlighted bad weather as an influencing factor. Rescue ships, alongside a navy vessel and a helicopter, were dispatched to aid in the rescue operation.
A confirmed 243 individuals, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, were aboard the ship. Discrepancies between the manifest and actual passenger count are not uncommon in Indonesia.
Sudayana acknowledged collaboration with various maritime and government agencies to bolster the rescue efforts. In addition to official resources, nearby tugboats and other vessels have also joined the search.
At the Trisakti port command center in Banjarmasin, hundreds of anxious relatives gathered, hoping for news of their loved ones. Many searched through passenger manifests and rescue lists for any updates.
Bunga, a woman only using a single name, shared her relief upon learning her uncle, whose name appeared on the travel manifest, was rescued. “I was shocked when I saw my uncle’s name on the passenger list,” she stated, “But I felt relieved after officials told me he had been rescued.”
While ferries serve as a key mode of transport across Indonesia’s 17,000 islands, the nation faces frequent maritime accidents attributed to safety enforcement lapses. Just last month, an incident involving a ferry fire near Bali saw the rescue of 211 passengers, one fatality, and four individuals unaccounted for. Another ferry disaster off Java previously resulted in at least five deaths.
This tragedy follows closely a deadly Philippine ferry fire that claimed 76 lives, highlighting ongoing maritime safety challenges in the region.