At least six people have been confirmed dead and 129 are missing after a ferry capsized in rough seas off the coast of Java, Indonesia. The incident occurred early Sunday morning as the Virgo Transport 8, carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew, lost contact with its shipping company after departing from Surabaya in East Java.
Panic and Chaos
Survivor Rinto Arahap recounted scenes of panic onboard as passengers scrambled for life jackets. 'People were panicking. Some climbed onto tables, some were pushing each other,' he told AFP. Many passengers were asleep when the vessel began listing at around 2:00 am on Sunday, with Arahap hearing what sounded like metal breaking about five hours into the journey.
'There was no warning from the ship’s crew. Basically, it was just someone taking the initiative, shouting, ‘Oh, the ship is listing, listing, listing,’' Arahap said from a stretcher at a health facility in Banjarmasin, where survivors were taken. With waves more than two metres high, people began shouting and fighting for life jackets as the vessel tilted.
Rescue Efforts
The first rescue ship carrying survivors arrived before nightfall at a pier in Banjarmasin, on the southern coast of Borneo island. Some of the survivors were carried on stretchers into waiting ambulances, while others were put into wheelchairs or needed help walking. Indonesian Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed the ship had capsized.
Local search and rescue chief I Putu Sudayana said the ship’s captain had reported to its owners before losing contact that the vessel was 'tilting.' Rescuers battled waves of up to 2.5 metres to reach the ferry. Two helicopters were involved in the search, along with other vessels from the navy, police, the rescue agency, and the ferry company.
The vessel's last position was detected in the Java Sea, around 150 kilometres from its destination. Heri Purwanto, head of the Banjarmasin Sea Port Authority, said the ship, which was also carrying vehicles, lost contact at 2:00 am on Sunday. 'We responded quickly to the incident report,' he said.
Arahap told AFP he grabbed a life jacket before the ship overturned, saying he and others were adrift for about four hours before they were rescued. 'I didn’t save anything, just myself,' said Arahap, who was travelling to Samarinda in East Kalimantan to start work on a palm oil plantation. 'My wallet, everything... was lost. Things like my school diploma were gone. All my clothes were swept away.'
Rescue authorities have established a command centre at the Banjarmasin port, with paramedics and ambulances on standby. Dozens of relatives and friends of the passengers checked a whiteboard where the names of people rescued were being updated. Jenah, 26, told AFP she came to the command post for information about her older brother. 'I am saddened and very shocked. Until now, I haven’t received any more information,' she said. 'He was travelling alone. I hope he survives. I couldn’t contact him since last night.'
Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that relies heavily on boat connections for daily transport and tourism. Lax safety standards and unpredictable weather are the main reasons for these disasters.
