SIX DEAD AND MORE THAN 100 STILL MISSING AFTER FERRY CAPSIZES IN INDONESIA

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people when it lost contact in the Java Sea. Rescuers are racing against dangerous waves to find those still missing.

A major search-and-rescue operation is underway in Indonesia after a passenger ferry capsized in the Java Sea, leaving six people dead and at least 129 others missing.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people — including 213 passengers and 30 crew members — when it ran into severe weather while traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

THE FERRY SUDDENLY LOST CONTACT

The vessel lost contact at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, after encountering rough conditions.

The captain reportedly contacted authorities before communication was lost, saying the ferry was “tilting.”

The vessel later capsized in waters roughly 148 kilometers from Banjarmasin.

At least 108 people have been rescued, while six bodies have been recovered. Authorities say 129 people remain unaccounted for.

RESCUERS FACE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

The search has been made more difficult by powerful waves reaching around 3 meters (nearly 10 feet).

Indonesian authorities have deployed ships, aircraft, divers and other rescue personnel as they continue searching the surrounding waters.

The overturned ferry has reportedly remained afloat, giving rescuers hope that additional survivors could still be found.

Families have gathered at a command center in Banjarmasin, anxiously waiting for information about relatives who were aboard the vessel.

QUESTIONS NOW SURROUND THE DISASTER

The exact cause of the capsizing has not yet been established.

Survivors have reportedly described chaotic conditions aboard the ferry, while authorities continue investigating what happened before the vessel rolled over.

The disaster comes amid renewed concern over maritime safety in Southeast Asia, where ferries remain a crucial form of transportation across island nations.

Indonesia, made up of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on passenger vessels to connect communities and major cities.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES

For the families waiting in Banjarmasin, the numbers tell only part of the story.

More than a hundred people are still missing, and rescue teams continue working through difficult sea conditions in the hope of finding survivors.

Six lives have already been confirmed lost. For the families still waiting, the search is far from over.