Indonesia begins salvage to right capsized ferry for missing 129

Indonesian authorities have launched a complex salvage operation to right the capsized passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea, a critical step in the search for 129 people still missing a week after the vessel sank. The operation, led by the ship's owner as mandated by Indonesian law, aims to turn the vessel upright so dive teams can safely enter to search for survivors or remains. The ferry was carrying 243 people on a 20-hour voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it capsized in bad weather early on Sunday, September 13. Six people have been confirmed dead, and 108 have been rescued. The search for the missing has been severely hampered by strong winds, currents, and waves, which have prevented effective underwater operations. "The salvage operation is already underway," said Banjarmasin Navy Commander Galih Nurna Putra on Friday. "An observation was conducted yesterday, and today the team will likely move toward the location of the ship." The plan involves pulling the vessel onto a shallower seabed before righting it. Once upright, rescue and evacuation operations will begin inside the ship.