In Indonesia, divers cannot reach ferry — Channel NewsAsia
In Indonesia, divers are trying to reach the Virgo Transport 8 ferry, which capsized and sank in the eastern part of the Java Sea. Since the accident on September 13, 129 people remain missing; six bodies were found on the day of the disaster, while another 108 people were rescued. Channel NewsAsia reports.
The 4,277-ton vessel was travelling from Surabaya in East Java province to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. The voyage was expected to take about 20 hours. The ferry capsized approximately 800 kilometres east-northeast of Jakarta in adverse weather conditions.
Dangerous diving conditions
According to Arianto Ardi, head of operations at the National Search and Rescue Agency unit in Banjarmasin, around 60 divers from the Indonesian Navy and the rescue service have still been unable to reach the sunken vessel. Around 1,100 people are involved in the search operation, working 12-hour shifts, along with 17 ships, five helicopters and other aircraft.
Initially, the current in the accident area reached nearly seven knots, while a speed of up to 1.5 knots is considered safe for diving. The current later weakened to 1.8–2 knots, allowing Navy divers to spend about eight hours in the water on Thursday and get closer to the vessel. Waves up to 2.5 metres high and strong winds are also hampering the work.
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The ferry lies on the seabed
After the accident, the Virgo Transport 8 drifted about 1.8 nautical miles. On Thursday evening, officials said the vessel had sunk and was lying on the seabed at a depth of 40 to 50 metres.
Arianto Ardi explained that entering the vessel is difficult due to the enclosed design of the 119-metre roll-on/roll-off ferry, intended to carry cars and passengers. In his assessment, the vessel may have had two or three decks: vehicles were located below, while passengers were above. Maritime expert Marcellus Jawawibawa said divers would have to move through flooded, unfamiliar compartments with almost zero visibility. Air pockets in sealed spaces may pose an additional danger.
Despite the considerable time that has passed since the disaster, the operation formally remains a rescue operation, as there is a possibility that people may have survived in watertight compartments. On Friday, the vessel's owner, PT Virgo Karya Shipping, began a legally required operation to return the ferry to an upright position in parallel with the search.
