Indonesia searches for 129 missing after vessel capsizes — Anadolu Agency
In Indonesia, more than 600 rescuers have been deployed to search for 129 people who went missing after the passenger vessel Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea. According to Anadolu Agency, the vessel capsized early in the morning on September 13 in adverse weather conditions.
Rescue operation
There were 243 people aboard the Virgo Transport 8. The vessel was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. According to the Indonesian outlet Detik.com, citing the National Search and Rescue Agency Basarnas and the Ministry of Transportation, at least 108 people were rescued and the deaths of six people were confirmed.
Basarnas chief Mohammad Syafii said that about 622 rescuers, ships and aircraft were involved in the operation. Specialized underwater teams and underwater drones operated by the navy are also being used in the search.
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Fleet support
The Indonesian Navy dispatched five ships, a CN-235 aircraft and helicopters to support the joint operation. Basarnas Deputy Head for Operations and Preparedness Edi Prakoso said that strong sea conditions caused the vessel to list before it capsized.
One of the survivors, Ahmad Saudi, told Kompas that at around 1:20 a.m., the vessel began to tilt rapidly. According to him, passengers did not hear an alarm signal or warning from the crew before they realized that an emergency had occurred.
