BANJARMASIN, Indonesia — Search and rescue teams are looking for passengers and crew from the Virgo Transport 8 after the vessel lost contact in the Java Sea while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.
The passenger vessel left Surabaya in East Java on Saturday, Sept. 12, bound for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, but disappeared from communication the following morning after encountering bad weather.
The vessel was carrying 243 passengers and crew. Rescue officials said more than 100 people had been evacuated by other vessels, while a large number remained unaccounted for, prompting a continuing search operation across the Java Sea.
I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin search and rescue office, said survivors were picked up by other vessels in the area, with some being transported toward ports in East Java for medical treatment and further assistance.
Search teams are continuing to scan the surrounding waters for those still missing. Weather conditions and the wide search area are complicating the operation, while authorities work to establish exactly what happened after the vessel lost contact.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on passenger ferries and other vessels to connect communities separated by sea. Maritime transport is often cheaper and more accessible than air travel, making ferry services an important part of daily life for millions of people.
The incident has again drawn attention to maritime safety in Indonesia, where passenger vessels operate across busy sea routes and can face difficult weather conditions. Authorities are expected to investigate the vessel’s condition, safety procedures and the circumstances surrounding its loss of contact. For families waiting for news, the immediate priority remains finding those still missing and bringing survivors safely ashore.
