At least six people have died and 129 remain missing after a passenger ferry capsized in Indonesia’s Java Sea, as rescuers continue a major search operation for survivors.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, as well as 89 vehicles, when it overturned while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Indonesian authorities said 108 people had been rescued as of Monday, while six bodies had been recovered from the vessel.

The ferry left Surabaya on Saturday and was expected to arrive in Banjarmasin on Sunday. Authorities said they lost contact with the vessel at about 2am local time on Sunday.

The vessel was about 80 nautical miles from Banjarmasin’s Trisakti Port when it capsized, according to Indonesian authorities.

Rescue officials said the ferry encountered bad weather, with waves reaching about three metres, before it began to tilt and eventually overturned.

Some survivors said the vessel suddenly tilted without a warning alarm, forcing passengers to scramble to escape from their cabins as water entered the ship.

The ferry remained afloat upside down after the accident, while rescue teams searched the surrounding waters and the vessel for those still missing.

About 655 personnel have been deployed in the search operation, supported by 17 vessels, aircraft, underwater search teams and drones.

The operation is being coordinated by Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, known as Basarnas, alongside the navy, coast guard and other agencies.

Rescue officials said difficult sea conditions, including strong winds and rough waters, have complicated efforts to locate and recover those still missing.

One of the six people confirmed dead has been identified as 22-year-old Reyner Fausta Yosilianto, according to Indonesian authorities.

Families of passengers gathered at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin as rescue teams continued searching for their relatives.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, with authorities expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the ferry’s capsizing.

The incident occurred around the Masalembo Islands, an area in Indonesia that has recorded a number of maritime accidents.

Indonesia relies heavily on ferries and other vessels to connect its thousands of islands, making maritime safety a recurring concern in the country.

At least six people have died and 129 remain missing after a passenger ferry capsized in Indonesia’s Java Sea, as rescuers continue a major search operation for survivors.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, as well as 89 vehicles, when it overturned while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Indonesian authorities said 108 people had been rescued as of Monday, while six bodies had been recovered from the vessel.

The ferry left Surabaya on Saturday and was expected to arrive in Banjarmasin on Sunday. Authorities said they lost contact with the vessel at about 2am local time on Sunday.

The vessel was about 80 nautical miles from Banjarmasin’s Trisakti Port when it capsized, according to Indonesian authorities.

Rescue officials said the ferry encountered bad weather, with waves reaching about three metres, before it began to tilt and eventually overturned.

Some survivors said the vessel suddenly tilted without a warning alarm, forcing passengers to scramble to escape from their cabins as water entered the ship.

The ferry remained afloat upside down after the accident, while rescue teams searched the surrounding waters and the vessel for those still missing.

About 655 personnel have been deployed in the search operation, supported by 17 vessels, aircraft, underwater search teams and drones.

The operation is being coordinated by Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, known as Basarnas, alongside the navy, coast guard and other agencies.

Rescue officials said difficult sea conditions, including strong winds and rough waters, have complicated efforts to locate and recover those still missing.

One of the six people confirmed dead has been identified as 22-year-old Reyner Fausta Yosilianto, according to Indonesian authorities.

Families of passengers gathered at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin as rescue teams continued searching for their relatives.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, with authorities expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the ferry’s capsizing.

The incident occurred around the Masalembo Islands, an area in Indonesia that has recorded a number of maritime accidents.

Indonesia relies heavily on ferries and other vessels to connect its thousands of islands, making maritime safety a recurring concern in the country.