Divers in Indonesia have recovered a total of 52 bodies during a dayslong search operation following the capsizing of a ferry in rough seas earlier this month, authorities said Friday.

The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people when it issued a distress call on September 13 while traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The vessel reported that it was listing in rough seas, with waves reaching up to 3 meters (10 feet).

Authorities later determined that the ferry had capsized in the waters around the Masalembo archipelago in the Java Sea.

Rescuers have so far saved 108 people, while 83 others remain missing. Divers recovered several victims from inside the submerged vessel, smashing through ferry windows underwater to gain access to the wreckage.

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, known as BASARNAS, said all available resources were being used in the continuing search for those still missing.

“Our primary focus is to locate the missing victims and provide closure to their families,” said Mohammad Syafii, head of BASARNAS.

Authorities are also preparing to salvage the ferry, which is lying at a depth of about 30 meters (98 feet) underwater. The operation is expected to involve pulling the wreckage from the seabed as the search continues.

The recovered bodies were transported to a police hospital in Banjarmasin, where they will undergo identification before being returned to their families.

Indonesia is an archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands, making ferry travel an important part of transportation across the country. Ferry accidents have occurred regularly, with safety enforcement often cited as a contributing concern.

SOURCE: Associated Press (AP), Edna Tarigan, September 25, 2026.