Overview
- The Virgo Transport 8 left Surabaya on Sept. 12 and lost contact early Sunday after the captain reported heavy listing in rough seas.
- Rescuers have pulled about 108 people from the water or other vessels and recovered six bodies while roughly 129 people remain unaccounted for.
- More than 600 personnel, about a dozen ships, helicopters, underwater teams and drones are focused on the capsized, partially submerged ferry in Masalembo waters.
- The 119‑metre Japanese‑built ferry was sold to its current operator last year and was carrying vehicles, raising questions about stability, loading and manifest accuracy.
- The disaster adds to recurring regional ferry safety concerns and is likely to trigger formal probes by Indonesia’s search and rescue and transport safety agencies.