On September 23, the official death toll from the capsized passenger ferry in Indonesia’s Java Sea increased to 20, as rescue operations continue to expand. Initially, the reported fatalities were just 10, but officials, including Mohammad Syafii of the National Rescue Agency, indicate that more bodies are expected to be discovered during the ongoing underwater search. The ferry, known as the Virgo Transport 8, was on a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, carrying 243 individuals, including crew members and numerous vehicles, when it faced severe weather conditions and capsized on September 13.
In the past three days, rescue teams have recovered eight bodies from inside the sunken vessel, while two others were found washed ashore approximately 253 km from the accident site. Currently, 115 individuals are still unaccounted for, while 108 survivors have been reported. Rescuers’ efforts have yielded a steady recovery of bodies over the days, indicating a pressing urgency to locate others trapped within the ship.
Rescuer operations are concentrating on the ferry’s cabins following several challenges, including poor visibility and strong currents that prevented divers from entering. They have begun attempts to break windows to facilitate body recovery. Should conditions permit, the search may also extend to the vehicles onboard, although this is expected to be hazardous due to the likelihood of vehicles being stacked atop one another.
The ongoing search and rescue operations have been extended until Sunday, amid ongoing efforts to stabilize and right the capsized vessel. Authorities continue to face difficulties, but the commitment to finding any remaining trapped individuals remains steadfast.
