Death Toll Rises to 64 in Indonesia Ferry Sinking
At least 64 people have died after a passenger ferry sank in Indonesia's Java Sea nearly two weeks ago, with 71 still missing and rescue teams continuing search operations around the submerged wreck.
The death toll from the passenger ferry Vergo Transport 8, which sank in Indonesia's Java Sea nearly two weeks ago, has risen to at least 64 people, with rescue teams continuing extensive search operations for those still missing. The ferry, carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members, departed from Surabaya in East Java on September 12 and was headed to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan before losing contact with the shipping company. Yudi Bramantyo, director of operations at Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, reported that of the 243 people on board, 172 were evacuated, with 108 confirmed survivors, 64 confirmed dead, and 71 still being searched for. Rescue teams recovered four bodies from the submerged wreck on September 26 and found seven more bodies along the shoreline, with search operations to continue for another seven days and reassessment every three days. In Indonesia, search and rescue operations typically run for seven days but can be extended based on various factors, including the likelihood of recovering additional bodies.
