Indonesian ferry with more than 240 aboard capsizes in Java Sea, leaving about 130 missing

The Virgo Transport 8, a 119-meter Japanese-built ferry constructed in 1987, was en route from Surabaya — Indonesia's second-largest city — to Banjarmasin on Borneo Island when its captain reported rough seas with waves up to 3 meters (10 feet) and issued a distress call saying the ship was listing. The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office said authorities received a report of the incident two hours after contact was lost at around 2 a.m. Sunday. The vessel's manifest listed 213 passengers and 30 crew members, as well as 89 vehicles, though officials noted it is common in Indonesia for the actual number of passengers to differ from the manifest.

Search efforts expanded around the vessel's last known position in the Java Sea, approximately 148 kilometers (92 miles) from Banjarmasin. The AP reported that Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said aerial searches showed the ferry was floating upside down and had not sunk, with rescuers concentrating efforts around the overturned hull. NPR, citing the same rescue agency briefing, described the vessel as having overturned and then sunk — a detail that differed from the AP's account of the minister's statement.

By Sunday afternoon, authorities had deployed rescue teams supported by vessels and aircraft. The AP reported eight vessels, including four navy ships, and two helicopters participating in the search, while NPR reported four vessels including one navy ship and one helicopter — reflecting a possible difference in the timing of each outlet's reporting rather than a factual contradiction.