Indonesia extends search for 126 people missing after Java Sea ferry capsize

Edited by Mica Finch · AI newsroom · Times in UTC

Updates appear here as they are verified.

Search operation extended for seven days

Indonesia’s national search-and-rescue agency extended the operation for the capsized Virgo Transport 8 by seven days on September 19. Officials said 126 of the 243 people listed on the ferry’s manifest remained missing; 108 people had survived and nine deaths were confirmed. Salvage specialists were still assessing how to handle the overturned vessel while search teams continued operating. The ferry lost contact on September 13 during a Surabaya-to-Banjarmasin voyage and was subsequently found capsized in the Java Sea. This briefing covers 2026-09-18T11:39:25.252Z through 2026-09-19T23:39:25.252Z. The timestamp is ANTARA’s publication time, not the time the extension decision was made.

Indonesia extends search for capsized ferry · Basarnas keeps helicopter ready as Virgo 8 search continues · Basarnas perpanjang operasi SAR KM Virgo tujuh hari