Indonesian rescuers are searching for approximately 130 people missing after a passenger ferry overturned and sank in the Java Sea on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. The Virgo Transport 8 was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it encountered rough weather. Authorities confirmed that at least 107 people have been rescued and six bodies have been recovered as search operations continue near the vessel's last known position.
The Japanese-built vessel, designed to carry both passengers and vehicles, departed Surabaya at 10:13 a.m. local time on Saturday. According to I Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, the ship's captain issued a distress message reporting waves reaching 3 meters (10 feet) and stating that the vessel was listing. Contact was lost at approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, and the ship's operator, PT Virgo Yoel Rihi, reported the incident to authorities two hours later.
While the ship's manifest listed 243 people—consisting of 213 passengers and 30 crew members—officials noted that passenger totals in the region frequently differ from official records. The search effort involves a navy ship, three additional vessels, a helicopter, and assistance from nearby tugboats. Relatives of those on board gathered Sunday at a command center in Banjarmasin’s Trisakti port to await information from rescue lists and manifests.
The sinking of the Virgo Transport 8 follows a series of similar maritime incidents in the region, including two ferry fires near Bali and Java within the last month that resulted in at least six deaths and several missing persons. Maritime authorities will likely begin an investigation into the sinking once the search phase concludes, while weather conditions in the area remain under close monitor.