Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has expressed condolences to the victims of the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ship, which capsized in the Java Sea while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Prabowo offered his condolences Wednesday while inaugurating the Kelapa Gading-Manggarai LRT line at Manggarai Station in South Jakarta.

“We always remember our brothers and sisters who have suffered disasters, most recently the Virgo [ship] in Banjarmasin,” Prabowo said. He prayed that the families of those affected would be given strength and resilience to face the tragedy.

Prabowo also said the government would investigate the cause of the accident and use the findings to improve safety measures and prevent similar incidents in the future.

“We will continue to investigate and examine what caused the incident so that in the future we can improve mitigation and take the best possible steps,” he said.

The Virgo Transport 8 capsized early Sunday, Sept. 13, while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The vessel was carrying 243 people, according to authorities.

As of Wednesday, six people had died, 108 had been rescued and 129 remained missing, according to search and rescue authorities. Rescue teams have expanded their search in the Java Sea, including underwater operations.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The ship's captain has been questioned as part of the investigation into the incident.

Prabowo also said the central and local governments were continuing to respond to disasters in several parts of Indonesia and accelerate recovery efforts.

“All levels of government, central and regional, provinces and districts, as well as all agencies, have proven that they can work together to face all challenges and difficulties,” he said.

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