WorldDraft
Six dead and 130 missing after Indonesian ferry loses contact in Java Sea
Search teams are looking for 130 people after the Virgo Transport 8 lost contact while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in bad weather.
Event
One dead and 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry disappears in Java Sea
The Virgo Transport 8 ferry lost contact in bad weather while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. Six people have died, 107 have been rescued and 130 remain missing. Indonesian authorities are conducting a search and rescue operation involving ships, a helicopter, navy and maritime police personnel.
2 published stories · security · source reliability 67%
Background
Why this event matters
Virgo Transport 8 lost contact in bad weather while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in the Java Sea. The ferry was carrying 243 people: 213 passengers and 30 crew. Indonesian authorities say six people have died, 107 have been rescued and 130 remain missing. Ferries are a common form of transport across Indonesia’s more than 17,000 islands. The National Transport Safety Committee will investigate.
event-brief
One dead and 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry disappears in Java Sea
Virgo Transport 8 lost contact in bad weather while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in the Java Sea. The ferry was carrying 243 people: 213 passengers and 30 crew. Indonesian authorities say six people have died, 107 have been rescued and 130 remain missing. Ferries are a
Reporting trail
BBC World | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgykzgljlyo | published 2026-09-13T09:42:08.000Z | primary sourceBBC World | Primary report for the casualty figures, passenger manifest, timeline and official responseEvent digest | Concise corroboration of the reported incident and current rescue operationRetrieved context: Al Jazeera | Same-event reference indicating earlier or conflicting rescue and casualty figuresAl Jazeera Global News | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/13/one-dead-102-rescued-after-indonesian-ferry-goes-missing-in-java-sea | published 2026-09-13T06:36:40.000Z | primary sourceAl Jazeera Global News | Primary report on the ferry’s disappearance, casualties, rescue figures and ongoing search.Event digest | Concise corroboration of the central event and operational details.Retrieved context — cluster summary | Supports the event identification with high stated confidence, but adds no independent reporting.Retrieved context — background cards | Unrelated material on al-Qaeda and US 9/11 commemorations; not relevant to this ferry incident.
Fact cards
entity brief
One dead and 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry disappears in Java Sea: key people and institutions
Key entities: Virgo Transport 8, Indonesia, Java Sea, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, Surabaya, Banjarmasin.
faq brief
One dead and 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry disappears in Java Sea: key questions
How many people were on board? Authorities said 243 people were aboard: 213 passengers and 30 crew. How many people have been rescued? Indonesian authorities say 107 people have been rescued. How many people are missing? Authorities say 130 people remain missing; this figure may
source brief
One dead and 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry disappears in Java Sea: reporting sources
BBC World | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgykzgljlyo | published 2026-09-13T09:42:08.000Z | primary source | BBC World | Primary report for the casualty figures, passenger manifest, timeline and official response | Event digest | Concise corroboration of the reported inci
timeline brief
One dead and 102 rescued after Indonesian ferry disappears in Java Sea: timeline
Before the distress report: Virgo Transport 8 travelled from Surabaya towards Banjarmasin. During the voyage: The ferry lost contact in bad weather, with its last reported position about 150km south of Banjarmasin. 04:10 local time: Authorities received a distress report. Current
Timeline
Before the distress report
Virgo Transport 8 travelled from Surabaya towards Banjarmasin.
During the voyage
The ferry lost contact in bad weather, with its last reported position about 150km south of Banjarmasin.
04:10 local time
Authorities received a distress report.
Current operation
Ships, a helicopter, navy and maritime police personnel, involving about 280 people, began search and rescue efforts.
Following the incident
Indonesia’s National Transport Safety Committee is to investigate.
FAQ
How many people were on board?
Authorities said 243 people were aboard: 213 passengers and 30 crew.
How many people have been rescued?
Indonesian authorities say 107 people have been rescued.
How many people are missing?
Authorities say 130 people remain missing; this figure may change as the search continues.
Where was the ferry travelling?
It was travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.
What caused the incident?
The vessel encountered bad weather, but the cause has not been established.
Who is searching for survivors?
Ships, a helicopter, navy and maritime police personnel are involved.
How many people were aboard the ferry?
Officials reported that 243 people were aboard.
Has the ferry sunk?
This has not been independently confirmed; the ferry has lost contact with its operator.
Where was the ferry last located?
About 81 nautical miles (150 kilometres) from Banjarmasin.
What is hampering the search?
Rough conditions, including waves reportedly reaching 2.5 metres.