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Indonesian passenger ship overturns, sparking search for at least 129 missing
NPR • • world
Key Points:
- A ferry carrying over 240 people overturned in rough seas in Indonesia's Java Sea, leaving at least 129 people missing, with 108 rescued and six bodies recovered so far.
- The ferry, Virgo Transport 8, was traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when it encountered 3-meter-high waves and sent a distress call before capsizing.
- Rescue operations involve multiple vessels, navy ships, helicopters, and nearby boats focusing on the ferry's last known position, where the overturned ferry remains afloat upside down.
- Relatives of passengers are anxiously awaiting news at Banjarmasin port, while authorities continue searching amid concerns over Indonesia's frequent ferry accidents linked to safety enforcement issues.
- This incident follows recent ferry disasters in the region, including fires near Bali and Java, and a deadly ferry fire in the Philippines just days earlier.
