Indonesian Ferry Capsizes South of Borneo, Leaving Up to 140 Missing
Authorities in Indonesia are searching for an estimated 130 people after a ferry capsized in the Java Sea.
At about 0200 on Sunday morning, the ferry Virgo Transport8 was under way from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, and was about 80 nautical miles south of its destination. Passengers described rough surface conditions during the transit. At about 0400 hours, Indonesian SAR agencies received a distress alert about the vessel's situation. First responders on scene found that it had capsized.
The majority of the 108 survivors were rescued by a Good Samaritan merchant vessel, the MV Haida. The ship arrived in Banjarmasin on Sunday evening to disembark 69 rescuees for medical evaluation. The tanker Mauhau IX and fishing vessel Cahaya Bahari also contributed.
The head of Indonesian coast guard agency Basarnas, Rear Marshal Mohammad Syafii, told media on Sunday that it is believed (from the master's account) that the vessel was hit by a large wave on the starboard side, resulting in rapid capsizing.
A total of 108 people have been rescued, six have been confirmed dead, and an additional 129 to 140 people are still missing (local media accounts differ).
Kondisi Kapal Virgo Transport 8 yang tenggelam karena hantaman ombak.
????: basarnas pic.twitter.com/LnxN3KJmqj
— Gumilar (@pw_gun) September 13, 2026
Kapal MT Mauhau Milik Pertamina Patra Niaga, yang tengah berlayar dari Banjarmasin menuju Tuban mendapatkan info dari VHF Channel 16 terkait tenggelamnya KMP Virgo Transportasi di laut Jawa hari Minggu 13 September 2026 jam 03.00
Nahkoda dan Crew langsung melakukan evakuasi,… pic.twitter.com/o4TDlA11zG
— Rizki Aprilla (@aprillariz) September 13, 2026
The estimate for the number of missing people in a Southeast Asian ferry incident will often fluctuate throughout the search, as informal, unregistered passengers are common and the total number of people on board at time of departure may not be known with accuracy.
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The vessel's upturned hull remained afloat as of Sunday, raising hopes that some people may have survived in air pockets inside. Search operations continue on scene.
Large-scale ferry casualties are not uncommon in Southeast Asia's archipelagic nations, where geography favors water transport, economics favor older or lightly-maintained tonnage, and safety regulations are less rigorously enforced. This past week, the Philippine government responded to an accident of comparable scale involving a sudden and powerful fire on a ferry off Palawan.
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