At least 129 missing after Indonesian passenger ship capsizes

BREAKING: At least six dead and 129 missing after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger ship capsizes in Indonesia's Java Sea during bad weather, with 108 rescued as the search continues.

At least 129 people are missing in the Java Sea tonight.

The Virgo Transport 8 capsized in bad weather early Sunday with 243 people on board. It had set sail from Surabaya in East Java on Saturday, headed for Banjarmasin, when it lost contact with authorities. A passing helicopter spotted the vessel overturned in the water.

Six people are confirmed dead. Rescue crews have pulled 108 survivors out so far, and the search is continuing. One passenger, Rinto Arahab, said he clung to the railings as the ship flipped, then climbed higher on the hull as it rolled in the waves. He said he felt resigned, and could only pray.

In Banjarmasin, families are waiting at the port. Indonesia's transport minister says the cause is still under investigation. For 129 families tonight, every hour of that search matters more than any answer about why.

This is Dave King, reporting for HIT.