Jakarta, 15 September (H.S.): At least six people have died and 130 remain missing after the “Vargo Transport 8” ferry capsized in Indonesia’s Java Sea. A large-scale search and rescue operation is underway following the disaster. Authorities said 107 people have so far been rescued.

International media outlet Al Jazeera, citing Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), reported that 243 people were aboard the ferry, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members. The vessel departed from Surabaya on the island of Java on Saturday and was bound for the port city of Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo.

The ferry lost contact with its operator early Sunday morning, following which authorities immediately launched a search and rescue operation. Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation also confirmed that the vessel had capsized.

According to I Putu Sudayana, head of the local search and rescue office in Banjarmasin, the vessel encountered severe weather conditions at the time of the incident. The ferry’s last known position was reported to be approximately 81 nautical miles, or 150 kilometres, from Banjarmasin in the Java Sea.

Ships and helicopters have been deployed as part of the rescue operation. However, waves reaching around 2.5 metres in height are posing a major challenge to rescue efforts. Authorities described the sea conditions as extremely hazardous even for rescue vessels.

Officials have yet to establish the exact cause of the ferry’s capsizing. An investigation is underway, examining several possibilities, including adverse weather conditions and potential technical failure.

Maritime transport is critically important in Indonesia. With around 17,000 islands, the country has a large population that relies on ferries to travel between islands. Ferries are widely used because sea transport is relatively affordable and more readily accessible than air travel.

Indonesia has also witnessed several maritime accidents in recent months. Last month, a ferry operating between Bali and Lombok caught fire, killing one person and leaving five others missing. In July, another ferry carrying more than 70 people sank near Selayar Island, south of Sulawesi.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar