Indonesia ferry disaster death toll rises to 66 as 69 remain missing

Yesterday 10:47

By: Azzat Manal

Indonesia ferry disaster death toll rises to 66 as 69 remain missing

The death toll from the sinking of the passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 in Indonesia has risen to 66, while 69 people remain missing as rescue teams continue searching the wreck and surrounding coastal areas.

The vessel was carrying 243 people when it lost contact with authorities early on September 13 while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. The ferry later capsized in the Java Sea and sank, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation involving Indonesian maritime authorities, the navy, police and other agencies.

According to the latest figures from Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, known as Basarnas, 108 people have survived the disaster, while 66 have died and 69 are still unaccounted for. The figures mean that 174 people have so far been located from the vessel's manifest of 243 passengers and crew.

The search entered its 16th day on Monday, with divers returning to the submerged ferry in an effort to locate people who may still be inside its cabins. Rescue officials said the operation has been complicated by unstable sections of the wreck, leaking fuel and other hazards inside the vessel.

Divers are operating under strict safety limitations while examining the wreckage. The vessel's damaged and unstable structure has made it difficult to enter some compartments, while underwater conditions have added further risks to the recovery operation. Authorities are also preparing for the possibility that the wreck may need to be raised or repositioned to allow rescuers to reach areas that remain inaccessible.

Search teams have also expanded their efforts beyond the sinking site, examining stretches of coastline in Central Kalimantan. Earlier operations resulted in the recovery of victims from both the wreck and coastal areas, reflecting the broad search zone created by sea currents and weather conditions.

The ferry disaster has drawn attention to the importance of maritime transport in Indonesia, an archipelagic country where passenger vessels play a major role in connecting communities across thousands of islands. Ferries remain an important and relatively accessible means of transport, particularly for journeys between regions that are not easily connected by air or road.

Authorities have continued to coordinate the search while victim identification procedures are carried out. Indonesian police disaster-victim identification teams have been working with families to confirm the identities of recovered victims and facilitate their return to relatives.

The latest recovery figures represent a significant increase from earlier stages of the operation, when dozens of passengers were still missing and only a smaller number of victims had been recovered. Rescue authorities have extended the search operation as they continue efforts to locate the remaining 69 people and provide answers to their families.