Java Sea ferry accident leaves six dead, 140 missing: Basarnas

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - At least six people died and 140 remain missing after the Virgo Transport 8 ferry carrying 243 people lost contact in the Java Sea on Sunday, Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, Basarnas, reported.

The 8,540-gross-ton vessel lost contact at around 2:00 a.m. local time on Sunday while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.

The ship was carrying 30 crew members, 27 personnel, 60 passengers, and 126 drivers and assistants, alongside 89 vehicles.

Emergency teams rescued 97 survivors and recovered six bodies out of 103 people pulled from the water by passing vessels.

According to SAR Mission Coordinator I Putu Sudayana, the tugboat TB Mauhaw IX rescued 16 people—15 survivors and one fatality—while the TB TCP brought aboard 38 people, including five fatalities.

The cargo vessel MV Haida rescued 49 people, all of whom survived.

"TB Mauhaw IX will take 16 evacuees, including one fatality, to Tuban Harbor, while TB TCP and MV Haida will take 87 evacuees to Trisakti Harbor in Banjarmasin," Sudayana said.

Basarnas deployed joint maritime and aerial units to search for the 140 people still unaccounted for.

Authorities said the cause of the accident remains under investigation, with officials evaluating potential natural, technical, or human factors, as well as environmental impacts and cargo loss.

Translator: Tumpal Andani, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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