A passenger ferry carrying 243 people overturned in Indonesia’s Java Sea on Sunday amid severe weather, leaving at least six people dead and 129 missing, according to rescue officials.
The vessel, Virgo Transport 8, was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it encountered rough seas. The captain had reported waves of up to three metres before the ship issued a distress call.
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said 108 people had been rescued. Search teams continued working to locate those still missing and recover additional victims.
More than 600 rescuers, supported by multiple ships and aircraft, have been deployed in the search operation. Difficult sea conditions, including waves reaching 2.5 metres, have complicated rescue efforts.
The ferry was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members, according to its manifest. Authorities have cautioned that the actual number of people aboard may differ from the listed figures.
Families of missing passengers have gathered at ports and rescue coordination centres, awaiting updates about their loved ones. Survivors have been transferred to other vessels as emergency teams continue the operation.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Initial reports indicate that severe weather and rough seas played a significant role in the ferry overturning.
The incident has renewed concerns about maritime safety in Indonesia, an archipelagic nation that relies heavily on ferry services to connect its many islands. Rescue authorities continue to prioritise locating the missing and supporting affected families.