Indonesian ferry capsizes in Java Sea
Search and rescue operations continue with air and sea assets to look for over 100 people who are still missing after an Indonesian passenger ferry capsized in the Java Sea
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is continuing its search for 129 people still missing by deploying 22 search and rescue (SAR) assets on the second day of the operations, after the KM Virgo Transport 8 lost contact in the Java Sea as it encountered bad weather.
Six people have died and 108 have been rescued from the capsized Indonesian passenger ferry, authorities said. Of the 243 people on board – 213 passengers and 30 crew members – 129 remain missing.
The ship left Surabaya at 10:33 hrs on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Banjarmasin on Sunday at 14:00 hrs, according to data from two maritime monitoring sites. Authorities received the initial distress report at 04:10 hrs.
Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii said that Basarnas was working with the Indonesian Navy, Police, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and other agencies on the SAR operation.
Along with several sea vessels, the aerial assets being used to search and rescue survivors include a Basarnas HR 36012 helicopter (an Airbus AS365), an Indonesian Navy CN-235 MPA, and a Navy Panther HS 1310 (an Airbus AS565MBe), and a BNPD Cessna 208 Caravan.
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Jon Adams
Jon is the Editor of AirMed&Rescue. He was previously Editor for Clinical Medicine and Future Healthcare Journal at the Royal College of Physicians before coming to AirMed&Rescue in November 2022. His favorite helicopter is the Army Air Corps Lynx that he saw his father fly while growing up on Army bases.