The death toll from the sinking of the passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 in Indonesia’s Java Sea has risen to 64, authorities said Saturday, nearly two weeks after the vessel went down during its voyage from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said 172 of the 243 people listed on the ferry’s manifest have now been accounted for, including 108 survivors and 64 people who have died. Another 71 people remain missing.

Rescuers recovered 11 bodies on Saturday, the 14th day of the search operation. The latest recovery brought the number of victims located from the sunken vessel and surrounding waters to 172.

Basarnas official Yudhi Bramantyo said the search would be extended for another seven days, although authorities would reassess the operation every three days depending on conditions and the possibility of recovering additional victims.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members when it encountered severe weather in the Java Sea on Sept. 13.

The vessel had departed from Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, East Java, bound for Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. Indonesian authorities said the ferry was also carrying 89 vehicles.

According to an official account presented to President Prabowo Subianto, the ship encountered strong winds and waves at around 1 a.m. local time. About an hour later, the vessel developed a severe list before communications were lost another hour later.

Basarnas activated its search-and-rescue operation after receiving the emergency report. Nearby vessels helped evacuate survivors, while military, police and civilian rescue units were deployed to the area. A total of 108 people were rescued during the initial response.

The precise cause of the accident remains under investigation. Early reports indicated that the ferry was operating in bad weather, while authorities have continued examining the circumstances surrounding the vessel’s capsizing and sinking.

The recovery operation has been complicated by the location of the wreck and difficult underwater conditions.

Indonesian divers have faced strong currents, water pressure and the position of the overturned vessel, making it difficult to enter parts of the ferry and search for victims.

Earlier in the operation, authorities deployed specialized divers and underwater equipment, including support from Indonesian Navy vessels. Rescue teams have also used helicopters and surface vessels to transport recovered victims for identification.

On Friday, rescuers recovered 10 bodies from the wreck, bringing the confirmed death toll at that point to 52, with 83 people still missing. The additional recoveries on Saturday raised the death toll to 64.

Authorities have established victim-identification and information centers in affected areas to assist families searching for missing relatives.

President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a thorough investigation into the disaster and instructed authorities to ensure that the rights of victims and their families are protected.

Officials are expected to examine the vessel’s condition, its operation, weather conditions at the time of the accident and the circumstances surrounding the loss of communications.

The ferry disaster has also renewed attention on maritime safety in Indonesia, where passenger ships and ferries are essential for connecting communities across the country’s thousands of islands.

Indonesia relies heavily on sea transportation because of its geography, with ferries providing an important link between major islands and remote communities. The country has experienced repeated deadly maritime accidents, prompting continuing concerns about vessel safety, weather monitoring and enforcement of maritime regulations.

With 71 people still unaccounted for, rescue teams will continue searching the wreck and surrounding waters during the extended operation.

Officials said the decision to continue the search would be reviewed regularly, taking into account weather and sea conditions, the progress of underwater operations and the likelihood of recovering additional victims.

The disaster is now among Indonesia’s major maritime tragedies in recent years, with families continuing to wait for information about relatives who remain missing almost two weeks after the ferry sank. (ILKHA)