At least six people have died and 129 remain missing after the passenger ferry MV Virgo Transport 8 overturned in rough seas in the Java Sea, Indonesia.
The ferry was sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. It lost contact at about 2 a.m. on September 13. Its manifest listed 243 people aboard, including 213 passengers and 30 crew, as well as 89 vehicles.
The ferry sent a distress call before the accident. The master reported waves of about 3 metres and said the vessel was listing. The ferry later overturned in the Masalembo waters, about 148 km from Banjarmasin.
Rescue teams recovered 108 survivors and six bodies on Sunday. Search operations continued on September 14. Authorities deployed 17 ships and aircraft and about 655 personnel from the military, police and other agencies.
The number of missing people could change. Survivors reported difficult conditions aboard the ferry. One passenger said the vessel appeared overcrowded. Some people reportedly slept in passageways because the cabins were full.
Another survivor said passengers moved towards the higher side as the ferry began to list. The vessel then rolled over completely.
The overturned hull remained afloat, raising hopes of finding more survivors. Rescue authorities said the search for missing people would continue.
