Indonesian police have arrested the captain of a ferry that capsized in the Java Sea last month, killing at least 78 people and leaving 57 missing.
National police spokesperson Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said on Thursday that the captain had been named a criminal suspect over the September 13 disaster.
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people when it capsized in bad weather during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Authorities said 108 people survived.
Senior police official Kukuh Prabowo said the captain was suspected of violating Indonesia’s shipping law by knowingly sailing an unseaworthy vessel, state news agency Antara reported on Wednesday.
The offence carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years when it causes deaths and property damage. Neither official provided further details of the allegations.
Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said late on Wednesday that the death toll stood at 78, with 57 people still missing.
Divers have been searching the vessel for those missing, battling strong currents and the ship’s unstable structure. The search remains ongoing.
