Jakarta, 13 September (H.S.): Indonesia’s Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office rescued 103 passengers from the missing vessel Virginio Transport 8 in the Java Sea on Sunday. One of those rescued subsequently died. Search teams are continuing efforts to locate 140 people who remain missing. The search and rescue operation was launched after contact with Virginio Transport 8 was lost in the early hours of Sunday. A total of 243 people were aboard the vessel.

According to Antara, Head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office I Putu Sudayana said three commercial vessels in the vicinity located the passengers and helped rescue them after receiving information about the emergency. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Sudayana said, “As of 12 noon Central Indonesia Time (GMT+8), a total of 103 passengers had been successfully rescued.”

He said teams aboard TB Mouhaw 9 (MT Mouhaw), TB TCP and MV Haida are involved in the search and rescue operation. Authorities are currently searching for 140 missing people. In addition to the three commercial vessels, KN SAR Laksmana, Indonesian Navy warship KRI Nala and navigation vessel KM Kunyit have also been deployed for the rescue operation.

According to reports, contact with Virginio Transport 8 was lost at around 2 a.m. local time (GMT+8) following adverse weather conditions. The vessel had departed Surabaya in East Java on September 12 and was bound for Banjarmasin.

According to The Korea Times, Head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office I Putu Sudayana said the vessel’s captain had reported rough sea conditions and waves as high as three metres (10 feet) before sending a distress message. The captain also reported that the vessel was listing to one side. Sudayana later said authorities received information that the vessel had capsized.

According to The Guardian, Indonesia, a country comprising around 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries as a major means of transportation. Sea travel is generally more affordable and accessible than air travel in the archipelago. However, safety standards are not always strictly enforced, contributing to a relatively high rate of accidents.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar