Indonesian rescue teams continued on Monday to search for 129 people missing after the Virgo Transport 8 ferry capsized and sank in the Java Sea amid poor weather. The confirmed death toll stood at 6, while authorities had rescued 108 people since the accident occurred early Sunday. The ferry was carrying 243 people on a trip from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
Waves hamper rescue teams’ access
Transport Minister Dody Purwagandhi said the vessel was not overcrowded, as the number aboard was below its maximum capacity of 500 people, noting that it sank amid waves exceeding 2.5 metres. National Search and Rescue Agency chief Muhammad Syafii said rough waters, high waves and strong winds were hampering the search.
Rescue teams plan to deploy divers and underwater drones to search inside and around the ferry’s hull after locating it. Footage of the vessel showed its red-and-black hull overturned and partially submerged in rough water, with its underside protruding above the surface.
Indonesia relies on ferries for travel between its 17,000 islands, as sea travel is a cheaper and more convenient option than air travel, while the country experiences multiple maritime accidents.
