Published on •Updated
Six people died and 129 are missing after a ferry capsized off of the Indonesian island of Java, rescue officials said.
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The vessel, which was carrying 243 people, had been sailing between the islands of Java and Borneo when it encountered bad weather.
In an update, Basarnas, Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency, said six people had died and 108 had been rescued after the Virgo Transport 8 ferry lost contact with its shipping company early on Sunday.
Search and rescue chief I Putu Sudayana earlier told reporters that rescuers faced waves of up to 2.5 metres as they fought to reach the ferry amid “extremely risky” conditions for vessels.
“Even our Basarnas vessel, which is 40 meters long, is at great risk,” Sudayana said.
It comes after a speedboat carrying eight people, including five journalists covering the recent eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatoa, went missing earlier this week. The search for the vessel remains ongoing.
The Southeast Asian nation is made up of more than 17,000 islands, with boats providing a common and important form of transport.
This is a developing story. Check back here for further details.
Additional sources • AFP
