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Indonesia ferry death toll hits 66 as search enters 16th day
Reuters • • general
Key Points:
- The death toll from the capsized Indonesian ferry Virgo Transport 8 has risen to 66, with 69 passengers still missing after 16 days of search efforts.
- The ferry, carrying 243 people including 30 crew members, capsized on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya to Banjarmasin amid bad weather.
- Divers face significant challenges due to leaking fuel, unstable debris, dangerously sharp objects, and gas concentrations inside the vessel, limiting their access to passenger cabins.
- Search and rescue officials noted that divers are restricted to a maximum depth of 27 meters and that the ship's operator must right the vessel and bring it to the surface for safer recovery operations.
- Indonesia relies heavily on ferries for inter-island travel, but frequent accidents highlight ongoing safety concerns in the country’s maritime transport sector.
