Indonesia arrests ferry captain after 78 die in capsizing

Indonesian police have arrested the captain of the ship that capsized last month in the Java Sea, an incident that killed at least 78 people and triggered a long and difficult search for passengers that is still ongoing.

The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people when it capsized in bad weather in the Java Sea on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Authorities said 108 people survived.

Divers have been circling the ship, battling against fast sea currents and the ship’s unstable structure, to search for those missing on deck.

Senior national police official Kukuh Prabowo was quoted by state news agency Antara on Wednesday as saying that the ship’s captain has been arrested and named a criminal suspect.

Kukuh said the captain was suspected of violating Indonesia’s shipping law by knowingly sailing an unseaworthy vessel, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison when it causes deaths and property damage.

The death toll from the incident is 78 people, while 57 people remain missing, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said late on Wednesday.