Indonesia Ferry Capsizing Leaves 129 Missing

Indonesia is conducting a large-scale search and rescue operation after a 119-metre roll-on/roll-off ferry capsized in the Java Sea near Masalembo, approximately 148 kilometres from Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. The vessel was carrying 243 people—213 passengers and 30 crew members—as well as 89 vehicles, when it lost contact at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday. The captain had reported waves as high as three metres and a severe list to starboard. A passing helicopter later confirmed that the ferry had overturned, while authorities received a distress call roughly two hours after contact was lost. At least 108 people have been rescued and six bodies recovered, leaving 129 people unaccounted for. Survivors were brought to a temporary medical facility at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin. Some described passengers rushing to the upper deck and struggling to obtain life jackets as the vessel began to tilt. By Monday, 622 personnel were involved in the search, using 17 vessels and five aircraft, including navy ships and helicopters. Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, Basarnas, planned to deploy divers and navy-operated underwater drones to inspect the overturned hull. However, rough seas and strong currents were complicating the operation. Officials said the ferry was below its maximum capacity of 500 people, although they acknowledged that passenger numbers can differ from official manifests in Indonesia. The vessel was built in Japan in 1987 and sold to Indonesia the previous year. It had departed Surabaya for Banjarmasin on Saturday afternoon before encountering severe overnight weather. The cause of the disaster—whether extreme weather, mechanical failure or human error—remains under investigation, as families gathered in Surabaya and Banjarmasin awaiting information about missing relatives.

Indonesian authorities intensified a large-scale search on Monday, September 14, for 129 people missing after the passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 overturned in rough seas in the Java Sea. At least six people died, while 108 were rescued after the vessel capsized Sunday in the Masalembo waters, roughly 148 kilometers from Banjarmasin. The ferry was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when its captain sent a distress call reporting that the vessel was listing in waves reaching up to 3 meters. Contact was lost at about 2 a.m., and authorities learned approximately two hours later that the ferry had overturned. The National Search and Rescue Agency deployed 17 ships and aircraft and approximately 655 personnel from the military, police and other agencies. Specialized underwater teams and navy-operated thermal drones were also being used to locate victims and assist with evacuation. Officials said they remained hopeful that more survivors would be found, although the cause of the accident had not yet been established. The ferry’s manifest listed 243 people—213 passengers and 30 crew members—as well as 89 vehicles. Authorities cautioned that passenger counts in Indonesia frequently differ from manifests. The 119-meter vessel was built in Japan in 1987. Survivors described a chaotic and frightening accident. Ahmad Saudi said the ferry appeared overcrowded, with passengers sleeping in hallways and common areas, and suggested that trucks loaded on one side may have affected the ship’s balance. He said there were no alarms or announcements before the ferry rapidly tilted. Another survivor, Faisal, said he and 14 others clung to a section of the overturned vessel while reciting the Islamic call to prayer before a wave carried him toward a lifeboat. The disaster highlights ongoing maritime safety concerns in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are widely used and accidents occur regularly amid weak enforcement of safety standards.

A ferry disaster in Indonesia’s Java Sea has left at least six people dead and 129 missing after the Virgo Transport 8 overturned in rough weather on Sunday. The vessel was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, on Borneo Island, when its captain issued a distress call reporting that the ferry was listing in seas with waves reaching up to 10 feet. Contact was lost at about 2 a.m., and authorities later learned that the ship had capsized in the Masalembo waters, roughly 92 miles from Banjarmasin. Indonesian rescuers saved 108 people and recovered six bodies on Sunday. On Monday, 17 ships and aircraft, supported by approximately 655 personnel from the military, police and other agencies, continued searching for survivors. Specialized underwater teams, underwater drones and nearby vessels were also assisting the operation. Search and Rescue Agency chief Mohammad Syafii said officials remained hopeful that more survivors could be found. The ship’s manifest listed 243 people—213 passengers and 30 crew members—but authorities acknowledged that passenger numbers in Indonesia often differ from manifests. The 390-foot ferry, built in Japan in 1987, was also carrying 89 vehicles. Officials had not determined what caused the accident. Survivors described a sudden and chaotic capsizing. Ahmad Saudi said the ferry appeared overcrowded, with passengers sleeping in hallways and common areas. He suggested that trucks loaded on one side may have affected the vessel’s balance and said there were no alarms or announcements before it tilted. Another survivor, Faisal, said he and 14 others clung to part of the overturned ship while reciting the Islamic call to prayer before a wave carried him toward a lifeboat. The disaster has renewed concerns about ferry safety in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are widely used and accidents are frequent amid weak enforcement of safety standards.