Indonesia ferry death toll hits 66 as search enters 16th day

Jakarta reported on Monday that the death toll from the Indonesian ferry that capsized earlier this month had reached 66. Divers continued their search, braving leaking fuel, unstable structures, and hazardous conditions in the search for the remaining 69 passengers. The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people when it capsized in rough weather on September 13 during a journey from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Indonesia relies heavily on ferries to connect its 17,000 islands, but ferry accidents are frequent. Divers, limited to a maximum depth of 27 meters, were navigating through unstable debris in an effort to locate the missing passengers in the cabins. Rescuers were planning to airlift recovered bodies using a helicopter from the Java Sea.

From the beginning, divers attempted to navigate the ship despite the unstable structures, tilting, and sharp objects. Dangerous gas concentrations and leaking fuel posed additional health risks. The operators of the ferry must right it and bring it to the surface. The high-risk conditions have slowed the search, causing distress for families of the missing. As of Monday, 66 people had died, with 108 survivors and 69 still missing.