Indonesia Ferry Carrying 240 Loses Contact, Search Underway

The passenger-and-cargo ferry Virgo Transport 8 lost contact around 2 a.m. Sunday, September 13, 2026, after its captain sent a distress call reporting the ship listing in waves up to three meters on the route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The 119-meter vessel, operated by PT Virgo Karya Shipping, carried a manifest of 243 people—213 passengers and 30 crew—plus 89 vehicles; officials cautioned the actual number may differ. It capsized and overturned in the Java Sea. The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office under I Putu Sudayana received the report roughly two hours after the ferry vanished from radar. Rescuers sent four navy ships, a dozen support vessels, and two helicopters—dozens of craft including tugboats—to the last known position about 148 kilometers southeast of Banjarmasin. BASARNAS aerial footage showed the ferry still afloat upside down with its hull visible. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said it had not sunk. At least 108 people, some reports say 107, were rescued and six bodies recovered, leaving roughly 129 unaccounted for. Survivors came ashore at Trisakti port and went to hospitals. A woman named Bunga saw her uncle’s name on the manifest while four others remained missing. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry checked for any citizens aboard. Early figures were lower, and accounts conflicted on whether the ferry stayed afloat or had sunk. The search continued.