Death Toll Rises in Sunk Ferry in Indonesia
As search operations continue for the Virgo Transport 8 ferry that sank in the Java Sea, authorities announced that the total death toll has reached 71.
As search and rescue operations enter their sixteenth day for the Virgo Transport 8 ferry, which sank in the Java Sea due to adverse weather conditions, the total death toll has risen to 71 with the recovery of more bodies.
Details of the Ferry Disaster
The Virgo Transport 8 ferry capsized in the Java Sea due to bad weather conditions while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
Authorities publicly announced that out of a total of 243 passengers on board at the time of the incident, 108 managed to survive.
Challenging Search Operations
Hardiansyah Putra, a senior official from the search and rescue agency, stated that teams are resolutely carrying out their duties in the wreckage.
Divers are trying to find missing passengers amidst leaking fuel and dangerously unstable structures.
Hazards Inside the Wreckage
Senior official I Putu Sudayana stated that five more bodies were recovered from inside the 4,277-ton vessel on Monday.
The continuous rocking of the ship, sharp objects, high gas concentrations, and fuel leakage make the work difficult for divers.
Rescue and Salvage Plans
Stating that divers cannot enter certain compartments due to the hazards, officials emphasized that the ship must be brought to the surface.
According to a statement by the Banjarmasin port authority, the ship owner and the insurance company are continuing their work to determine a wreckage removal contractor.