Search underway for 129 missing after ferry capsizes in Indonesia

At least 129 individuals remain unaccounted for following a ferry capsizing in the Java Sea, Indonesia, amid turbulent weather conditions. Rescue operations are currently underway to locate the missing, with six bodies already recovered. The search is being conducted around the ferry's last known location in the Java Sea, approximately 148 kilometers from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan province.

The ferry, which transported over 240 people, was en route from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin when it encountered rough seas. Waves reportedly reached heights of up to three meters, causing the vessel to begin listing. Captain of the ferry reported the adverse conditions and sent a distress call before the accident occurred.

Initial information suggested the ferry's last known position was in the Java Sea, near the coordinates mentioned above. The ferry's manifest listed 243 passengers and 30 crew members; however, it is not uncommon for the actual numbers to differ from the official records in Indonesia. The vessel was also carrying 89 vehicles.

I Putu Sudayana, head of the search and rescue office in Banjarmasin, confirmed that the last reported position of the ferry was in the Java Sea, where it reportedly capsized.