Indonesia has extended its search operation after the death toll from a ferry that sank in the Java Sea almost two weeks ago jumped to 64, an official said on Saturday. Dozens of people are still missing.
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew when it lost contact with its shipping company after departing from Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya, on Java island, for Banjarmasin on Borneo.
Yudhi Bramantyo, an official with Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, told a news conference that of the 243 people on board, 172 had been accounted for — 108 survived, 64 died, and 71 were still being searched for. Rescuers recovered four bodies from the submerged ship on Saturday, while seven others were found along the shoreline.
He added that the search would be extended by a further seven days, with progress evaluated every three days. Search-and-rescue operations in Indonesia typically last seven days, but authorities can extend them when there is an assessment that more victims could still be recovered.
A familiar pattern of maritime accidents
Marine accidents occur regularly in Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that depends heavily on boat connections for daily transport and tourism. Officials say lax safety standards and unpredictable weather are most often the main reasons behind such disasters.
Sources:
CNA: Death toll from Indonesia ferry sinking jumps to 64
Gulf News: Indonesia Ferry Sinking in Java Sea — Death Toll Rises to 64
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew when it lost contact with its shipping company after departing from Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya, on Java island, for Banjarmasin on Borneo.
Yudhi Bramantyo, an official with Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, told a news conference that of the 243 people on board, 172 had been accounted for — 108 survived, 64 died, and 71 were still being searched for. Rescuers recovered four bodies from the submerged ship on Saturday, while seven others were found along the shoreline.
He added that the search would be extended by a further seven days, with progress evaluated every three days. Search-and-rescue operations in Indonesia typically last seven days, but authorities can extend them when there is an assessment that more victims could still be recovered.
A familiar pattern of maritime accidents
Marine accidents occur regularly in Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that depends heavily on boat connections for daily transport and tourism. Officials say lax safety standards and unpredictable weather are most often the main reasons behind such disasters.
Sources:
CNA: Death toll from Indonesia ferry sinking jumps to 64
Gulf News: Indonesia Ferry Sinking in Java Sea — Death Toll Rises to 64
