Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Divers Face Dangerous Conditions Reaching Capsized Indonesian Ferry
A ferry called Virgo Transport 8 tipped over in rough weather in Indonesia.
It was traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.
Six people died, 108 were rescued, and 129 are still missing.
Rescue teams are trying to reach the ferry under the sea.
Strong currents, high waves and water pressure make diving dangerous.
The ferry’s design also makes it hard to enter.
Divers could face dark, flooded rooms and sudden water movement.
Officials are still treating the mission as a rescue because people might be alive inside.
The search must continue for at least a week under Indonesian law.
Fast currents, strong winds, waves and water pressure have prevented divers from reaching the sunken Virgo Transport 8.
The ferry capsized in the eastern Java Sea while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in bad weather.
Six people died and 108 were rescued on the day of the accident, while 129 remain missing.
About 60 divers are working alongside 1,100 personnel using 17 ships, five helicopters and other aircraft.
The vessel’s enclosed roll-on/roll-off design and a company salvage attempt are adding complications to the continuing rescue operation.
- Who
- About 60 Indonesian navy and national rescue agency divers, supported by roughly 1,100 personnel, are searching for 129 missing people.
- What
- The 4,277-ton Virgo Transport 8 ferry capsized and later sank, prompting a difficult underwater rescue operation.
- When
- The ferry went down on Sunday; the report was published September 18, and divers approached the wreck on Thursday while salvage efforts began Friday.
- Where
- The incident occurred in the eastern Java Sea, about 800 kilometers east-northeast of Jakarta; the wreck lies in water 40 to 50 meters deep.
- Why
- The ferry went down in bad weather, while currents, waves, water pressure and its enclosed hull have complicated rescue efforts.
- Vessel
- Virgo Transport 8, a 119-meter, 4,277-ton roll-on/roll-off ferry
- Route
- Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan
- Casualties
- Six people dead and 108 rescued
- Missing
- 129 people remain missing
- Rescue force
- About 1,100 personnel, including approximately 60 divers
- Equipment
- 17 ships, five helicopters and other aircraft
- Diving conditions
- Currents initially reached nearly 7 knots and later eased to 1.8–2 knots; waves reached 2.5 meters
- Salvage effort
- The vessel owner, PT Virgo Karya Shipping, began a legally mandated attempt to right the ship