Ferry Disaster in the Java Sea Leaves Many Missing

In Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia, people search for family names on a passenger list following a tragic incident. A ferry overturned in bad weather on the Java Sea on Sunday, September 13, 2026. Indonesian rescuers report about 130 passengers and crew are missing after the vessel sank.

As part of the search operation, at least 107 people have been rescued, and six bodies recovered from waters near the ferry’s last known position. The vessel was en route from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan province.

I Putu Sudayana, who leads the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, confirmed the initial reports of rough seas with waves up to 3 meters (10 feet). The ship’s captain had sent a distress signal indicating the vessel was listing. Later, authorities learned the ferry had overturned and sunk.

The Virgo Transport 8’s ordeal became known two hours after communications ceased at about 2 a.m. Sunday. The ship had left Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city, bound for Banjarmasin, a city on Borneo Island.

“The ship’s operator reported the incident to authorities after receiving information that the vessel had encountered bad weather,” Sudayana stated.

Rescue efforts mobilized swiftly, with teams deploying four vessels, including a navy ship, and a helicopter. The Virgo Transport 8 carried a substantial number of passengers and crew, totaling 243 people — 213 passengers and 30 crew members, though discrepancies between the ship’s manifest and the actual headcount are not uncommon in Indonesia.

Survivor rescues and body recoveries indicated the vessel’s last known position was in the Java Sea, roughly 148 kilometers (92 miles) from a Banjarmasin pier. Sudayana noted cooperation with maritime authorities and other agencies in monitoring weather conditions.

Hundreds of anxious relatives converged at Banjarmasin’s Trisakti port, seeking news of their loved ones aboard the ferry. Many scanned passenger manifests and rescue lists for updates.

Bunga, who uses a single name, felt relief when officials confirmed her uncle’s rescue after seeing his name listed among the passengers.

In Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, ferries are a primary transit option. Accidents are frequent, often due to lax safety enforcement. In recent months, similar disasters have unfolded. Last month, a ferry near Bali caught fire, resulting in 211 rescues, but one death and four missing persons. A previous fire on the Mutiara Sentosa 2 off Java killed five.

These incidents underscore ongoing maritime safety challenges in the region. Sunday’s tragedy unfolded just days after a separate ferry fire tragedy in the Philippines, claiming 76 lives and leaving ten missing.