Six Dead, More Than 100 Rescued After Indonesian Ferry Capsizes

BANJARMASIN, Indonesia — At least six people have died and 108 others have been rescued after a passenger ferry capsized in waters off Masalembo, as a major search-and-rescue operation continues for dozens of people still missing.

The vessel overturned about 148 kilometres from Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province, after encountering severe weather during an overnight voyage from Surabaya in East Java.

Survivors were taken to a temporary medical post at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, where they received treatment and assistance.

Some survivors said passengers rushed to the upper deck and scrambled to find life jackets as the ferry began to list heavily.

Ferry Lost Contact After Reporting Heavy Waves

According to its manifest, the ferry was carrying 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members. It was also transporting 89 vehicles.

The passenger breakdown listed 59 adult passengers, one child, 126 drivers and vehicle assistants, and 27 ship-related workers.

The vessel lost contact at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday after its captain reported waves of up to three metres and a heavy list to starboard.

A passing helicopter later confirmed that the ferry had capsized.

Authorities received a distress call approximately two hours after communication with the vessel was lost.

Hundreds Join Search for Missing Passengers

By Monday, at least 622 personnel had been deployed in the search effort, using 17 vessels and five aircraft, including navy ships and helicopters.

Indonesia's national search and rescue agency, Basarnas, said divers and navy-operated underwater drones would be deployed to inspect the overturned vessel and search the waters around the wreck.

However, difficult weather conditions are hampering the operation, with rough seas and strong currents making it challenging for rescue teams to reach the vessel and conduct underwater searches.

Authorities have not yet established how many people remain missing.

Questions Over Cause of Capsizing

Officials said the ferry was not overloaded and was carrying fewer than its stated maximum capacity of 500 people.

However, authorities acknowledged that actual passenger numbers on Indonesian vessels can sometimes differ from official manifests, leaving investigators to verify the number of people aboard at the time of the accident.

The 119-metre roll-on/roll-off ferry was built in Japan in 1987 and was sold to Indonesia last year.

It departed Surabaya on Saturday afternoon bound for Banjarmasin but encountered severe weather during the overnight journey.

Investigators are examining several possible causes of the disaster, including extreme weather, mechanical or technical failure and human error. No definitive cause has yet been established.

Families Await News

As rescue teams continue searching the waters around the overturned ferry, families have gathered at ports in Surabaya and Banjarmasin awaiting information about relatives who remain unaccounted for.

Authorities have continued to expand the search operation while rescue teams work in difficult conditions to locate survivors and recover those still missing.

The focus remains on reaching the wreck, accounting for everyone listed on board and determining what caused the ferry to capsize during its journey to South Kalimantan.