The passenger manifest of the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ferry is under close review at the rescuers’ command center in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. This follows the ferry’s overturning amidst severe weather conditions in the Java Sea on Sunday. The incident, occurring on September 13, 2026, left at least six passengers dead and concerns over 129 missing individuals.
Indonesian authorities have intensified efforts to locate those missing after the ferry, which set out with over 240 individuals on board, experienced difficulties. The ship’s captain sent a distress call as the vessel struggled against three-meter (10-foot) waves while voyaging from Surabaya in East Java province to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan province on Borneo Island. Communication was lost around 2 a.m. on Sunday, and two hours later, news emerged of the ferry capsizing approximately 148 kilometers (92 miles) from Banjarmasin.
Video footage from the National Search and Rescue Agency captured a helicopter search operation over the overturned ferry amidst turbulent waters. By Monday, a robust search was launched involving 17 ships and aircrafts, bringing together around 622 members from military, police, and various agencies, as stated by Mohammad Syafii, the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency. The search strategy includes specialized diving units and underwater drones operated by the navy to enhance search efficiency and victim recovery.
“We remain hopeful of finding more survivors,” Syafii expressed during a video briefing.
Rescue teams, bolstered by tugboats and passing vessels, successfully saved 108 individuals and retrieved six bodies as of Sunday. Aerial visuals depict the ferry’s underside visible above sea level.
While the ship’s manifest listed 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, discrepancies often occur with actual onboard numbers in Indonesia. The manifest also noted 89 vehicles onboard. Families, anguished and waiting for information on missing relatives, have gathered at the command center in Banjarmasin’s Trisakti port as well as a port in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city.
The 119-meter (390-foot) Virgo Transport 8 ferry, constructed in Japan in 1987, was sold to Indonesia last year after decades of service. As an archipelagic nation with over 17,000 islands, Indonesia extensively relies on ferry transport. However, safety standards often see lax enforcement, leading to frequent maritime incidents.
Leave a Reply