Indonesia plans to right capsized ferry as bad weather leaves 129 people missing in Java Sea

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Rescue teams have failed to find any trace of 129 passengers missing after the Virgo Transport 8 overturned in the Java Sea, with heavy swells and currents of up to seven knots forcing navy divers to abort underwater searches. Indonesian authorities are planning to turn the submerged vessel upright — a process expected to take at least 24 hours — before conducting a full search inside the hull. The ferry capsized on Sunday while carrying 243 passengers on a journey from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, with six confirmed dead and 108 rescued.

Basarnas chief Mohammad Syafii says 1,097 personnel, 17 vessels and five aircraft are involved in the operation.

Safe diving requires currents below 1.5 knots — navy teams were forced back when they approached seven knots on Wednesday.

The disaster has revived Indonesia's 'Bermuda Triangle' legend around the Masalembu Islands, where powerful currents and monsoon winds have caused a string of deadly shipwrecks dating back decades.