Bad weather hampers Indonesia ferry rescue, dozens still missing

Indonesian rescuers retrieved around 22 survivors from a capsized ferry off Java island on Tuesday, as bad weather hampered the ongoing rescue operation, officials reported. The Virgo Transport 8, carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members, sank early Sunday, leaving 108 people missing and six dead three days after the incident.

The death toll and the number of missing individuals remained unchanged since Sunday. The ferry had lost contact with its shipping company shortly after departing Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, en route to Banjarmasin on Borneo. Footage showed the capsized vessel with part of its hull visible above water. Rescue officials stated that 22 survivors were brought to Banjarmasin harbor on Tuesday, but bad weather conditions prevented evacuation to Trisakti Port the following day.

Local search and rescue agency head I Putu Sudayana attributed the delay to extremely high swells and waves in the area, stating that "we cannot fight nature." Four bodies were airlifted to Banjarmasin on Tuesday, according to Basarnas, the national search and rescue agency. Over 1,100 rescuers, comprising navy and police personnel, were involved in the operation, which also included more than a dozen vessels and five aircraft.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, frequently experiences marine accidents due to lax safety standards and unpredictable weather conditions, posing significant challenges for daily transport and tourism.