A major search and rescue operation is underway in Indonesia after the passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea on Sunday, leaving more than 120 people missing.
The vessel was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan with 243 people aboard, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, when it encountered rough weather and high waves.
Indonesian authorities said 108 people have been rescued, while six deaths have been confirmed and 129 people remain missing. Search teams, ships and aircraft have been deployed to the area as rescuers continue looking for survivors.
The ship had earlier lost contact while crossing the Java Sea. Indonesian search and rescue officials said the vessel had reported difficult weather conditions before communication was lost. It was later found overturned.
The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation. Indonesia’s transport minister said authorities are examining what happened as rescue operations continue.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries and passenger ships for transportation between islands.
Sources: Reuters; Associated Press; Indonesia’s Basarnas search and rescue agency; Tirto.id
By NJ RADAR Team