Indonesia: Rescuers Resume Search for 129 Missing After Ferry Capsized
Authorities say 108 people have been rescued and six died, while search teams continue looking for 129 missing passengers and crew.
- On Monday, September 14, 2026, authorities reported that 129 people remain missing after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ship capsized in the Java Sea early Sunday. Rescue teams have evacuated 108 survivors, with the death toll steady at six.
- National rescue agency official Edy Prakoso said on Sunday the ship leaned heavily after strong waves struck its starboard side. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed the capsizing after a passing helicopter reported the vessel's status.
- More than 600 Indonesian rescuers are deployed using 17 vessels and five aircraft, according to Banjarmasin rescue agency head Putu Sudayana. The operation focuses on areas surrounding the partially submerged wreck in the Java Sea.
- "We will maximise the search operation in six sectors," National Search and Rescue Agency official Mohammad Syafii said. Divers and underwater drones are deployed to search the wreck, he added.
- Indonesia relies on ferries across 17,000 islands, making sea travel cheaper and more accessible than flying but prone to accidents. Recent ferry fires in August underscore the ongoing maritime safety challenges facing the nation.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Indonesian rescue services have located the overturned hull of the passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8, which capsized in the Java Sea. A massive search and rescue operation is continuing in extremely difficult weather conditions. At least six people have been officially reported dead, 108 have been rescued, and the fate of about 129 people remains completely unknown. The vessel, carrying 243 passengers and crew, as well as 89 vehicles, was travel…
Rough weather hinders third-day search for 129 missing after ferry capsizes in Indonesia
By Ananda Teresia JAKARTA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Rough seas were still hindering Indonesian rescuers on Tuesday as they searched for 129 people missing after a passenger ship capsized in the Java Sea three days ago, officials said. If weather conditions...
Aerial footage has documented the scale of one of Indonesia's latest maritime accidents, after the passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea. The ship was traveling from Surabaya when it suffered the incident and sank, with a total of 243 people on board, including 30 crew members. Search and rescue teams have so far managed to rescue 108 people, while 129 others are still missing, reports Telegrafi. The search and rescue operati…
The shipwreck of the Virgo Transport 8 ferry in Indonesia left six dead, 108 survivors and 129 missing. Rescue work continues.
The search resumed on Monday morning in an attempt to save 129 missing persons after the capsizing of a ferry connecting the Indonesian islands of Java and Borneo, which killed at least six people, announced the rescue services.
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