Rescuers Hunt for 130 Missing After Indonesian Ferry Sinks in Java Sea

Indonesian authorities have launched an extensive search operation for 130 missing passengers after the Virgo Transport 8 ferry sank in the Java Sea on Sunday following a severe weather incident. The vessel, which was carrying 243 people, went down while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.

Officials confirmed that six people have died and 107 were successfully rescued. However, approximately 130 passengers remain unaccounted for, prompting a massive mobilization of maritime and aerial resources.

I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, stated that efforts to locate victims are being carried out to the fullest extent. “There were passengers who… had already been successfully evacuated by the units at the scene,” he told reporters.

The ferry departed Surabaya on Saturday at 10:13 a.m. local time, scheduled to reach Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province, around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday. However, the operator lost contact with the ship early Sunday morning due to the adverse weather conditions.

Sudayana explained that the incident was reported to authorities after the operator received information about the vessel encountering bad weather. The last known position of the ship was approximately 148 kilometers (92 miles) from the Banjarmasin pier.

Search and rescue teams deployed ships and a helicopter to the area to assist in the operation. Authorities emphasized that all available personnel and equipment were being used, coordinating closely with maritime agencies while monitoring weather patterns.

Indonesia, an archipelago of roughly 17,000 islands, depends heavily on ferries for transportation, as sea travel is often more affordable and accessible than flying. Despite this reliance, safety enforcement in the nation’s maritime sector has been inconsistent, leading to a comparatively high rate of maritime accidents.