Death toll in Indonesia’s capsized Java Sea ferry rises to 66 as 69 people remain missing

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian rescuers recovered more bodies from the wreck of a ferry that capsized in the Java Sea two weeks ago, bringing the death toll to 66.

A search operation for 69 people, all presumed dead, has been extended for seven days, the National Search and Rescue Agency’s Operation Director Yudhi Bramantyo.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members when it lost contact with its operator after departing Surabaya for Borneo island. Only 108 people have been rescued.

Rescue teams recovered four bodies from inside the submerged vessel on Friday, while nine more were found along nearby shorelines during the weekend, Bramantyo said. The operation will be evaluated every three days to decide whether it should continue. Under Indonesian regulations, search-and-rescue operations typically last seven days but can be extended if authorities believe additional victims may still be found.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel.

Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.