The death toll in Indonesia’s Java Sea ferry incident has risen to 64, an official said on Saturday (September 26), more than two weeks after the vessel carrying 243 people sank on September 13. Rescuers have extended the search operation as dozens of people remain unaccounted for.
The ferry, Virgo Transport 8, was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members when it went down. It had departed from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city on Java Island, and was bound for Banjarmasin on Borneo.
“Out of 243 persons onboard, 172 have been evacuated, 108 survived, 64 died, and 71 are still being searched for,” said Yudhi Bramantyo, an official with Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
Yudhi said rescue teams recovered four bodies from the sunken vessel on Saturday, while another seven were found along the coastline. He added that the search operation would run for another seven days, with the timeline reassessed every three days.
How Search Operations Are Conducted
Search-and-rescue missions in Indonesia typically last seven days, though authorities can extend the timeframe depending on several factors, including the likelihood that more victims may still be found.
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As part of the effort, divers broke through the ferry’s underwater windows to access the vessel and retrieve the bodies of passengers trapped inside. Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency said all available resources were being mobilised to support the ongoing operation. “Our primary focus is to locate the missing victims and provide closure to their families,” said Mohammad Syafii, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, on Friday.
Maritime accidents occur frequently in Indonesia, a Southeast Asian archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands where boats remain essential for everyday transport and tourism. Such disasters are often linked to weak safety enforcement and unpredictable weather conditions.