JAKARTA, Sept 15 — Rough seas continued to hamper Indonesian rescuers today as they searched for 129 people missing after a passenger ship capsized in the Java Sea three days ago, officials said.
If weather conditions improve, rescuers, currently limited to air and surface searches at sea, will also launch underwater operations for possible survivors in the sunken ship, the officials said.
The Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 people, went missing in bad weather early on Sunday. At least six people died in the incident, while authorities have so far rescued 108 people from the ship, which was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.
On the third day of the search, rescuers deployed 1,100 coast guard and navy personnel, 10 aircraft and helicopters, and 17 ships, Banjarmasin rescue agency chief I Putu Sudayana told Reuters.
“The weather is still the same as yesterday and remains unfavourable this morning. Waves are still high, between 1.75 metres and 2.5 metres,” he said.
Yesterday, rescuers were unable to conduct underwater searches for the missing because of bad weather, national rescue agency chief Mohammad Syafii told reporters late that day.
No new survivors or bodies were found during Monday’s search, he added.
Today, the agency’s special team, working with the Indonesian navy, will continue to monitor weather conditions to determine whether underwater rescue operations can proceed, Syafii said.
The underwater operation would involve specialist divers from the navy and rescue agency capable of diving to depths of more than 100 metres, he said.
“Of course, we are still hoping to find the victims alive,” Syafii added.
The navy will also deploy its Canopus vessel, equipped with an underwater drone, a multibeam echo sounder to help locate potential targets and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for closer assessments, he said.
The technology could reduce risks to divers working in poor visibility, strong currents and around the unstable capsized vessel.
Syafii said underwater operations posed challenges because the ship was unstable and could shift unexpectedly due to trapped air and empty compartments.
Divers could also face sudden changes in pressure.
“We are also considering how to turn the ship from its upside-down position back upright,” he said.
The ship is now at a depth of 30 metres, and authorities are considering bringing it to the surface.
