Key facts
- More than 600 Indonesian rescuers are searching for 129 people missing after the Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea.
- The death toll from the capsizing stands at six.
- The ship was carrying 243 people when it went missing in bad weather early Sunday.
- Authorities have rescued 108 people from the vessel.
- The Virgo Transport 8 was traveling from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.
More than 600 Indonesian rescuers were searching for 129 people still missing after the passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea over the weekend, with the death toll steady at six as of Monday morning. The vessel, carrying 243 people, went missing in bad weather early on Sunday while traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Authorities have rescued 108 people from the ship. I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin rescue agency, told Reuters that 622 personnel and around 12 ships were deployed to continue the search. A video shared by the rescue agency showed the large red-and-black ship capsized and partially submerged. On Sunday, Edy Prakoso, another official at the national rescue agency, said the ship leaned heavily to one side after strong waves hit its starboard side. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated on Sunday that a passing helicopter reported the vessel had capsized, and the cause is still under investigation. Indonesia, an archipelago nation, relies heavily on ferries for transportation, and accidents have occurred frequently due to safety standards not always being rigorously enforced.