Jakarta, September 13: About 140 passengers and crew members are missing after an Indonesian ferry carrying more than 240 people overturned in rough weather in the Java Sea on Sunday, officials said.
At least 102 people have been rescued, while the body of one passenger has been recovered as search and rescue operations continue around the vessel’s last known position.
The Virgo Transport 8 was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it encountered severe weather. The captain reportedly warned of rough seas and waves reaching up to 10 feet before sending a distress message that the vessel was listing.
Authorities later received information that the ferry had overturned. The rescue agency in Banjarmasin said contact with the vessel was lost at around 2 am Sunday.
The ferry’s manifest listed 243 people on board, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, though officials said the actual number could differ.
Rescue teams, assisted by tugboats and other vessels, have been deployed to the area, about 148 km from a pier in Banjarmasin. Authorities are also monitoring weather conditions as the search continues.
The Japanese-built ferry, which can carry both passengers and vehicles, left Surabaya at 10:33 am Saturday and was scheduled to reach Banjarmasin around 2 pm Sunday.
Ferry accidents are relatively common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, with safety enforcement frequently cited as a concern. The latest incident comes days after a ferry fire in the Philippines killed at least 76 people.
