The Indonesian ferry sinking in the Java Sea
The passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 people (213 passengers and 30 crew, plus 89 vehicles) from Surabaya on Java to Banjarmasin on Borneo, lost contact with its operator in the early hours of 13 September while crossing the Java Sea in a storm; the captain had reported waves up to 3 meters and a distress call saying the ship was listing before contact was lost. Aerial searches the next day found the 119-meter ferry, built in Japan in 1987, floating capsized rather than sunk, roughly 150km from Banjarmasin. Indonesia's search and rescue agency (Basarnas) deployed hundreds of personnel, a dozen ships including four navy vessels, and helicopters, hampered by high waves, strong winds and choppy water that prevented underwater rescue teams from working.
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As it ran
14 September 2026
- Indonesia continues search for at least 129 missing after ferry capsizes, 6 bodies recovered AP
- Indonesia intensifies search for 129 people missing after ship capsizes Al Jazeera
- More Than 120 Unaccounted for After Ferry Sinks in Indonesia New York Times
- More Than 120 Are Unaccounted For After Ferry Sinks in Indonesia New York Times
13 September 2026
- Rescuers search for 140 people after Indonesian passenger ship sinks Al Jazeera
- Rescuers search for over 100 people after Indonesian passenger ship sinks Al Jazeera
- One dead, 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry goes missing in Java Sea Al Jazeera
- Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying at least 240 people after it loses contact CNN
- Rescuers searching for 140 people from Indonesia passenger ship, official says CNN
- Six dead, 107 rescued after Indonesian ferry capsizes in Java Sea BBC News
- One dead, 102 rescued from Indonesian ferry that went missing in Java Sea BBC News
- More than 100 people missing after Indonesian passenger ship capsizes Al Jazeera
- Six dead, 130 missing after Indonesian ferry capsizes in Java Sea BBC News
- Indonesia searches for 140 passengers after ship sinks in Java Sea South China Morning Post
- Six dead, 97 rescued from Indonesian ferry that went missing in Java Sea BBC News
- Six dead, 107 rescued from Indonesian ferry that went missing in Java Sea BBC News
- Missing Indonesian passenger ship found, 103 people rescued South China Morning Post
- Search underway for about 130 people after Indonesian passenger ship overturns CNN
- Passenger ship carrying 240 people loses contact in Java Sea, search underway Fox News
- Indonesian ship with 240 passengers aboard loses contact in Java Sea South China Morning Post
- Indonesian ship with 241 people aboard loses contact in Java Sea South China Morning Post
- Indonesia searches for 130 passengers after ship sinks in Java Sea South China Morning Post
- 240 passengers vanish in the Java Sea as rescuers scramble to find them Fox News