At Least Six Dead and 129 Missing as Ferry Capsizes Off Indonesia’s Java Coast
Six people have been killed and 129 remain missing after a ferry capsized off the coast of Indonesia’s Java island, according to rescue officials.
The vessel, carrying 243 passengers, had been sailing between Java and Borneo when it encountered severe weather conditions.
In a statement, Basarnas — Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency — confirmed that six people had died and 108 had been rescued after the Virgo Transport 8 ferry lost contact with its shipping company early on Sunday.
Search and rescue chief I Putu Sudayana told reporters that responders faced waves of up to 2.5 metres while attempting to reach the vessel, describing conditions as “extremely risky” for rescue craft. “Even our Basarnas vessel, which is 40 meters long, is at great risk,” Sudayana said.
The incident comes after a speedboat carrying eight people, including five journalists reporting on the recent eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatoa, went missing earlier this week. Searches for that vessel are still under way.
Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, where boats serve as a vital and widely used means of transportation.
This is a developing story. Further updates are expected.