Bali (Rajeev Sharma): The death toll from the sinking of an Indonesian ferry in the Java Sea has climbed to 64, nearly two weeks after the vessel disappeared while travelling between the islands of Java and Borneo.
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people when it lost contact with its shipping company after leaving Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city. The ferry was headed towards Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when the incident occurred.
According to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, 172 people have been evacuated, including 108 survivors. Authorities are still searching for 71 people who remain unaccounted for.
Rescue teams recovered four bodies from the submerged ferry on September 26, while seven additional bodies were discovered along the shoreline, officials said.
Search operations have now been extended for another seven days. Authorities will assess the situation every three days to determine whether further extensions are necessary.
Indonesia generally conducts search-and-rescue missions for seven days following major accidents, although operations can be prolonged when officials believe there is a possibility of locating additional victims.
The disaster has once again highlighted the risks associated with maritime travel in Indonesia, an archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands where ferries and other boats are an important part of everyday transportation.
Maritime accidents remain a recurring concern in the country, with unpredictable weather and questions surrounding safety practices often contributing to the risks faced by passengers travelling by sea.
