Death toll from capsized ship in Indonesia rises to 26 as search continues for 109 missing passengers
The official death toll from a passenger ship that capsized and sank in Indonesia's Java Sea rose to 26 on Wednesday, up from the previous 20, with rescuers expecting to find more bodies as the ongoing underwater search widens, officials said.
The official death toll from the capsized passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 in Indonesia's Java Sea has reached 26, according to officials. This figure has increased from the previous count of 20. The ferry, which was carrying 243 people including 30 crew members, capsized in bad weather on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
Rescuers have recovered 14 bodies from inside the ship over the past three days. Additionally, two bodies were found washed ashore in Central Kalimantan province, approximately 253 km (157 miles) from the accident site. As of Wednesday, the total number of missing persons stands at 109, with 108 survivors reported.
Search efforts have intensified, with divers breaking windows of the ship's cabins on Tuesday to access potential bodies. However, murky water and strong currents have hindered entry, preventing retrieval of bodies already spotted. The underwater search is now concentrated on the ship's hull, where many passengers are believed to be trapped.
If feasible, rescuers plan to shift the search to the vehicles on the ferry, though this could prove risky due to the vehicles being piled on top of each other, posing dangers to the diving team.
Rescue operations are set to continue until next Sunday. Authorities stated that attempts to right the ship have been underway, but as of Wednesday, the vessel remained capsized.
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