# A ferry goes down in the Java Sea

> A vessel carrying more than 240 people capsized in 10-foot waves, and about 130 are still missing.
- Title: A ferry goes down in the Java Sea · NPR | Shortify
- Summary: A vessel carrying more than 240 people capsized in 10-foot waves, and about 130 are still missing. Ferries are everyday transport across Indonesia's 17,000…
- Keywords: indonesia, ferry disaster, java sea, search and rescue, maritime safety, news, ferry, goes, Java, Sea, NPR
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/09/13/g-s1-143114/about-130-missing-after-indonesian-passenger-ship-overturns
- Published: 2026-09-13T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: indonesia, ferry disaster, java sea, search and rescue, maritime safety, news
## Around 130 still missing
A ferry carrying more than 240 passengers and crew sank in bad weather in the Java Sea on Sunday. Rescuers pulled out 107 people alive and recovered six bodies.
## The captain's last message
Before contact was lost, the captain reported waves up to 3 meters and sent a distress call saying the ship was listing. It then overturned and sank.
## Two hours before anyone knew
The Virgo Transport 8 lost contact around 2 a.m. The rescue agency in Banjarmasin only got the report two hours later, after the operator heard about the bad weather.

> The ship's operator reported the incident to authorities after receiving information that the vessel had encountered bad weather.
## A search 92 miles out
The last known position was about 148 kilometers from a Banjarmasin pier. Four vessels including a navy ship, plus a helicopter and passing tugboats, joined the search.
## The manifest may be wrong
It listed 243 people, 213 passengers and 30 crew. In Indonesia the real number on board often differs from the paperwork, so the missing count could shift.
## Names on a list at the port
Hundreds of relatives crowded a command center at Trisakti port, scanning manifests and rescue lists. This is the third Indonesian ferry disaster in about a month.

> I was shocked when I saw my uncle's name on the passenger list. But I felt relieved after officials told me he had been rescued.
## Key takeaway

Ferries are everyday transport across Indonesia's 17,000 islands, and weak safety enforcement keeps turning bad weather into mass casualties.