Passenger Ferry Capsizes in Indonesia with 243 Passengers On Board: 130 People Missing
The passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8, which was operating a route from Java island to Kalimantan, sank in the Java Sea. As a result of the incident, provoked by stormy weather, at least 6 people died, and about 130 passengers are still missing.
Photo: Donny Muslim / BBC
According to information from Reuters agency, communication with the vessel Virgo Transport 8 was lost on Sunday morning. The ferry was en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The first signals about the capsizing came from the crew of a passing helicopter. According to the latest data, there were 213 passengers and 30 crew members on board.
The British BBC reports that 280 people are involved in the search and rescue operation, using ships and aircraft. As of Sunday, rescuers have found the bodies of 6 deceased and managed to pull 107 living people from the water. The fate of another 130 people remains unknown. The vessel sank approximately 148 kilometers from its destination port.
Virgo Transport 8
Relatives of the passengers gathered at the port of Banjarmasin. Among those rescued was truck driver Ahmad Supandi, who was picked up by another vessel — MV Haida. Another passenger, Rinto Arahap, told journalists that after the ferry capsized, he managed to grab onto the railings and move to a higher point on the hull, waiting for help in the water.
However, for many families, the situation remains uncertain. Local resident Rusmilawati is awaiting news about 8 relatives who were returning from a trip. Shortly before communication was lost, one of them posted a status update in a messenger app, mentioning frighteningly strong waves. Relatives of the crew also gathered at the port of Surabaya. Stevi Manuhua, who worked as a keyboardist on the ferry and entertained passengers, is among the missing.
Tragedies in maritime transport are a systemic problem for Indonesia, which consists of more than 17,000 islands and relies critically on inexpensive ferry services. According to official government statistics alone, 111 shipwrecks were recorded in the country from 2020 to 2026.