The death toll from the sinking of the Virgo Transport 8 ferry in Indonesia’s Java Sea has risen to 64 following rescue operations that recovered four bodies from the submerged vessel and seven along the shoreline on Saturday, Sept. 26. National Search and Rescue Agency official Yudhi Bramantyo announced that 71 people remain missing as authorities extended the search by another seven days.
Search Operations and Rescue Efforts for Virgo Transport 8
Rescuers are actively searching for 71 missing individuals out of the 243 total people who were onboard the ferry. According to Channel NewsAsia, Yudhi Bramantyo stated at a news conference that 172 persons have been evacuated so far, with 108 survivors confirmed alongside the 64 fatalities. Saturday’s recovery efforts brought up four bodies from inside the submerged ship and seven bodies from the surrounding shoreline. Authorities have extended the active search-and-rescue operation for an additional seven days, though the progress of the mission will be formally evaluated every three days.
Ferry Route and Passenger Manifest Details
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members when it lost contact with its shipping company. The vessel departed from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city located on the island of Java, and was headed for Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo. Marine accidents occur regularly throughout Indonesia, which spans a vast Southeast Asian archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and relies heavily on water transport for daily commuting, regional travel, and tourism.
Worth a look