Storm‑Stricken Ferry Virgo Transport 8 Capsizes in Java Sea, Leaving One Dead and 102 Saved

Search and rescue teams are racing against time as the Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 passengers, remains missing in the Java Sea.

Published On 13 Sep 202613 Sep 2026

One passenger died and 102 individuals were rescued after an Indonesian ferry lost contact in the Java Sea during a severe storm, authorities confirmed.

The ferry Virgo Transport 8, which was carrying 243 people, ceased communication with its operator shortly after midnight on Sunday, triggering a nationwide search effort led by Indonesia’s rescue authorities.

Departing Saturday from Surabaya on Java, the vessel was en route to Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo when it vanished.

Search teams continue to look for the missing passengers and crew members still unaccounted for.

I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin search and rescue office, said the ferry encountered treacherous sea conditions.

According to the AFP news agency, the last known location of the ferry was roughly 81 nautical miles (150 km) east of Banjarmasin in the Java Sea.

Rescue vessels and a helicopter have been combing the area, where Sudayana reported wave heights reaching 2.5 metres (8.2 feet), severely hampering the operation.

“Operating under these conditions is extremely hazardous for any craft,” Sudayana told reporters. “Even our 40‑metre Basarnas rescue vessel is at great risk,” he added, referring to Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency.

Recent maritime incidents have underscored the dangers of ferry travel in the region. Last month a fire aboard a vessel traveling between Bali and Lombok claimed one life and left five passengers missing. In July a ferry carrying over 70 people sank near Selayar Island south of Sulawesi.

Source link