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

Jakarta, Indonesia - Rescue operations were in full swing on Monday as hundreds of rescue personnel from the coast guard and navy scrambled to locate 129 people still missing after a passenger ship capsized in the Java Sea over the weekend. The confirmed death toll stood at six. The Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 people, went missing in poor weather conditions early Sunday.

By Monday afternoon, 108 people had been rescued from the ship, which was en route from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. High waves, strong winds, and choppy waters were impeding the search efforts on Monday, according to Mohammad Syafii, head of the national rescue agency. At least 622 personnel, 17 ships, five helicopters, and aircraft were deployed to find the missing passengers.

Conducting underwater rescues was being considered, but the current conditions did not permit it. The capsized ship was seen partially submerged with its red-painted underside visible above the choppy blue waters. Two small boats carrying people were also spotted floating nearby. The location of the capsized ship was about 80 nautical miles from the Trisakti Port command center in Banjarmasin.

Conditions on Monday were windy, making it difficult for rescue vessels to dock. None of the 129 missing people had been found as of Monday afternoon, and rescuers continued to face challenges due to the weather. In 1981, the Tampomas II ship sank in the same area, killing nearly 600 people. The Java Sea, between Indonesia's four most populous islands, has been the site of several deadly maritime disasters.