Indonesian Ferry Sinks, 6 Dead, 129 Missing as Rescue Operations Continue

A passenger ferry has sunk in Indonesia, leaving at least six people dead and 129 missing. Search and rescue operations resumed on the morning of September 14th, as authorities attempt to locate the missing individuals after the vessel went down between Java and Borneo islands. The ferry, named VIRGO TRANSPORT, lost contact in the early hours of September 13th. It was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members. The ship had departed from Surabaya in East Java on September 12th, bound for Bandar Seri Begawan on Borneo island. Mohammad Syafi, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, confirmed on September 14th that six bodies had been recovered. He stated that 129 people remain unaccounted for, while 108 individuals have been rescued. Five aircraft and 17 vessels, including warships, have been deployed for the search efforts. Divers and underwater drones are also set to be deployed to search for the missing people trapped inside and around the wreckage. The ferry sank in rough seas with waves exceeding 2.5 meters in height. The vessel was not overloaded, carrying fewer passengers than its maximum capacity of 500 people. Source: Koh Santepheap Khmer