Indonesia rescuers battle turbulent seas in search for 129 people after passenger ship capsizes

JAKARTA - Indonesian rescuers, comprising the coastguard and navy, intensified their efforts on Monday to search for 129 people still unaccounted for after a passenger ship capsized in the Java Sea during adverse weather conditions over the weekend. The confirmed death toll stands at six. The Virgo Transport 8 vessel, carrying 243 people, disappeared in rough weather early Sunday.

The rescue agency has deployed 622 personnel, 17 ships, five helicopters, and aircraft to scour the turbulent waters, with choppy seas and strong winds hampering the search on Monday. Mohammad Syafii, head of the national rescue agency, stated that authorities have rescued 108 people from the ship, which was en route from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Rescuers are struggling to access the capsized ship due to its precarious position. Specialized underwater rescue teams are being prepared, but current conditions do not permit their deployment. Meanwhile, authorities identify more personnel equipped with specialized rescue skills. A video shared by the rescue agency shows a red-and-black ship partially submerged in choppy blue waters, with its red underside visible above the surface.

The capsized ship lies approximately 80 nautical miles (nearly 150 kilometers) from the command center at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin. The harsh weather conditions make docking challenging. Three-meter waves crashed into the ship when the incident occurred, as reported by Syafii. Traveling to the location from Trisakti Port typically takes five hours under good weather but can extend to up to nine hours in rough conditions.

Edy Prakoso, another official at the agency, revealed that the ship leaned heavily to one side following strong waves hitting its starboard side on Sunday. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi clarified that the capsized boat had a capacity to accommodate 500 passengers, so it was not overbooked. Indonesia heavily relies on ferries across its 17,000 islands, with sea travel being more affordable and accessible than air travel, but numerous accidents have plagued the industry.

Last month, two ferries carrying hundreds of passengers caught fire at sea, resulting in five and one death respectively.