The death toll from Indonesia’s ferry disaster has risen to 66, while 69 people remain missing as the search and recovery operation enters its 16th day.
The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people when it capsized in bad weather on September 13 while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. The vessel later sank in the Java Sea.
Divers are continuing to search inside the 4,277-tonne wreck, but dangerous conditions are slowing the operation. The vessel has unstable structures, sharp debris, leaking fuel and areas with high concentrations of gas.
Rescuers are also dealing with the ferry’s shifting position, making it difficult to reach several compartments where missing passengers could be located. Divers have been limited to a maximum depth of 27 metres.
Authorities say 108 people have survived the disaster, while dozens of families are still waiting for information about missing relatives.
Some recovered bodies are being transported from the Java Sea by helicopter as teams continue working around the submerged vessel.
Ferries are a vital part of Indonesia’s transport network, connecting thousands of islands, but the disaster has again highlighted the dangers faced by passengers travelling by sea.
For now, rescue teams remain focused on locating the missing and recovering victims from the wreck.
