Six people have died, and 97 have been rescued after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ferry lost contact during bad weather in the Java Sea today, September 13, while a major search continues for those still unaccounted for.
The ferry was carrying 243 people when contact was lost on its journey from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Based on the numbers released so far, 140 people remain unaccounted for.
Indonesian search and rescue teams have deployed ships and a helicopter to the area, with the navy, maritime police and other parties also involved in the operation. Vessels travelling nearby have been asked to report any signs of passengers in the water.
An operations post was established in the Trisakti Port area in Banjarmasin this morning as families waited for information about relatives aboard the ferry.
The Virgo Transport 8 left Surabaya on September 12 and was scheduled to arrive in Banjarmasin on September 13, according to data from two maritime monitoring sites.
Its last reported position was around 150 kilometres south of Banjarmasin at about 2am today. The vessel’s operator, PT Virgo, notified authorities of the emergency at 4.10am.
Among those waiting for news was Banjarmasin resident Rusmilawati, who said eight of her relatives were travelling on the ferry. They had travelled to Java to visit the tombs of several Islamic scholars and had chosen to return home by sea after flying there.
By this afternoon, she said the family had still received no confirmation about whether the eight relatives had been rescued.
Their last contact came through a WhatsApp status posted by one of them during the voyage, describing frightening waves and the vessel being thrown around by the rough sea.
Another family received better news after Misnah learned that her husband, Ahmad Supandi, had survived. Ahmad, a freight driver, was rescued by the MV Haida.
Relatives of crew members were also seeking information at Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya.
Fredy said his youngest sibling, Stevie Manuhua, was working aboard the Virgo Transport 8 as a keyboard player who entertained passengers. The two last spoke while the ferry was still docked in Surabaya two days earlier.
Fredy said he had received no further information about Stevie’s whereabouts.
BBC reported that search and rescue operations remain underway as Indonesian authorities try to locate those still unaccounted for.
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