The official death toll from the passenger ship Virgo Transport 8, which capsized and sank in Indonesia’s Java Sea, has risen to 26, according to statements released by the National Rescue Agency on Wednesday. Coast guard and Navy divers operating at the site recovered 14 bodies from inside the ship over a three-day window, while two additional bodies washed ashore in Central Kalimantan province, roughly 253 kilometers from the initial accident location.
Search and Rescue Operations in the Java Sea
The ferry was carrying 243 people—including 30 crew members—along with an unknown number of vehicles when it capsized during bad weather early on September 13. The vessel was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Mohammad Syafii, head of the National Rescue Agency, reported that rescue teams found five bodies on Monday, four on Tuesday, and seven on Wednesday, bringing the confirmed fatality count to 26. As of Wednesday, 109 people remain missing, while 108 survivors have been accounted for.
Underwater Challenges Inside the Sunken Hull
Divers managed to break the cabin windows on Tuesday but initially could not enter due to murky water and strong currents that obstructed visibility and retrieval. I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin rescue agency, explained that operations are concentrated on the ship’s hull where numerous passengers remain trapped inside cabins. Rescuers plan to extend their efforts toward the vehicle deck if conditions prove safe, though stacked trucks present significant risks to the diving team. Authorities confirmed that search and rescue operations are extended through Sunday of next week, while preparations to right the capsized vessel continue.
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