Indonesia Ship Carrying 243 Capsizes In Java Sea, 6 Dead And 130 Missing

A major search-and-rescue operation was underway in Indonesia on Sunday after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ferry capsized in the Java Sea during bad weather, leaving 130 people missing and six dead.

The vessel was carrying 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, when it ran into trouble while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on Borneo island. The ferry lost contact with authorities after reporting difficult weather conditions.

According to Indonesian rescue officials, 107 people have been rescued, while six bodies have been recovered. Another 130 passengers and crew members remain unaccounted for, with rescue teams continuing their search around the vessel's last known position.

The ferry's captain had reportedly warned about rough seas and high waves before the vessel began listing. Rescue officials said waves in the area reached several metres, making the operation particularly dangerous for responding vessels.

The ship's last known position was around 148 kilometres from Banjarmasin's Trisakti port. Indonesian authorities deployed several rescue vessels and a helicopter to search the area, while nearby tugboats and other vessels also assisted in rescuing people from the water.

There was initially confusion over whether the ferry had sunk. Indonesia's Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi later said information from helicopter surveillance indicated that the vessel had flipped or capsized, rather than simply sinking. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Meanwhile, anxious relatives gathered at the rescue command centre in Banjarmasin, checking passenger lists and waiting for information about their loved ones.

The accident highlights the risks faced by passengers in Indonesia, an archipelago where ferries remain an important means of transportation between its many islands. Rescue authorities are continuing the search as weather and sea conditions pose challenges to the operation.