A major rescue operation is underway in Indonesia after the passenger vessel Virgo Transport 8 capsized in rough conditions in the Java Sea. The ship was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
Authorities said 243 people—213 passengers and 30 crew members—were aboard. By Sunday afternoon, 107 people had been rescued and six bodies recovered, while approximately 130 remained missing.
The vessel reportedly sent a distress signal after encountering high waves and beginning to tilt. Rescue ships, a naval vessel and a helicopter were deployed, but poor weather continued to hamper the search. Families gathered at Banjarmasin’s Trisakti port to await information.
The disaster has again drawn attention to maritime safety in Indonesia, where ferries are essential for transportation between thousands of islands.
