Virgo Transport 8 Death Toll Rises to 64 With 71 Still Missing in Java Sea

The Virgo Transport 8 death toll reached 64 on September 26. Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency extended the search operation by a further seven days, with progress reviews every three days.

Four bodies were recovered from the submerged hull on the most recent dive. Seven more were found along the shoreline. Of the 243 people on board when the ferry left Surabaya on 13 September bound for Banjarmasin, 108 have survived, 172 have been evacuated in total, and 71 remain missing.

Basarnas confirmed the Virgo Transport 8 wreck lying 30 metres down in the Java Sea, and righting operations began on September 20 with the death toll then at ten as divers worked through the hull. The vessel was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew when it lost contact with its operator during the crossing.

Officials cited rough weather and high waves during the September 13 voyage as a contributing factor. Regional media and analysts have pointed to recurring safety enforcement gaps in Indonesian ferry operations.