Indonesian authorities are conducting a large‑scale search and rescue operation after the roll‑on/roll‑off ferry Virgo Transport 8 capsized in the Java Sea, leaving at least six dead and more than a hundred people missing. Navy units, rescue vessels and medical teams have been deployed amid rough seas to evacuate survivors and provide emergency care, while investigators probe safety failures behind the disaster.
The passenger ro‑ro ferry Virgo Transport 8 (KMP Virgo Transport 8) capsized in the Java Sea in the early hours of September 13, 2026, while sailing from Tanjung Perak port in Surabaya, East Java, to Trisakti port in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. According to Indonesian authorities and search and rescue officials, between 234 and 243 people were on board; at least six have been confirmed dead, more than 100 rescued, and 129 remain missing as of September 15. Survivors report the vessel overturned within minutes, forcing passengers and crew to spend up to 10 hours in the water before being spotted and rescued by other ships and SAR teams.
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