Rusmilawati went to Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya on Sunday after a gale warning was followed by the capsizing of Virgo Transport8 in the Java Sea. She was trying to find out what happened to eight relatives who were aboard the ship, which left Surabaya at 10:33 on Saturday.
Authorities said six people died, 107 were rescued and 130 remained missing after contact was lost with the 390ft ferry. The ship had 213 passengers and 30 crew members on board and was expected in Banjarmasin on Sunday at 14:00.
Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya
Rusmilawati said the family had last heard from one relative through a WhatsApp status update. “They flew there initially, but for the return journey they wanted to try travelling by ship,” she said at the port in Banjarmasin. “Hopefully they're safe,” she said.
The ferry was last reported about 150km south of Banjarmasin around 02:00 on Sunday. Authorities received the initial distress report at 04:10, after the vessel encountered bad weather, and then set up a joint task force with Indonesia's search and rescue agency, navy, maritime police and other parties.
Java Sea search effort
Ships and a helicopter were deployed to the scene, and the search and rescue operation involved 280 personnel. All vessels in the Java Sea area were alerted to report any sign of passengers. The route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin was a return journey for some passengers who had visited the tombs of several Islamic scholars in Java.
Ahmad Supandi survived after being aboard Virgo Transport8 and was later rescued by the vessel MV Haida. Fredy said his youngest sibling, Stevie Manuhua, worked aboard the vessel as a keyboard player entertaining passengers. “We spoke two days ago when the ship was docked in Surabaya. After that, there was no news until now,” Fredy said at Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya.
Virgo Transport8 and missing passengers
The main question for families is how many of the 130 missing people will be found alive. For Rusmilawati, the search is personal: she is still waiting to learn whether one of the eight relatives she came to find has been taken from the sea, rescued, or is among those still missing.
