“I came here looking for my younger brother, whose name is Sulisman. We still have not received any news about him,” Slamet Hermanto said. “Hopefully, we will receive some good news.”

By Thursday afternoon, officials had received 70 ante-mortem records and collected 31 DNA samples. Biological relatives are being prioritised for DNA comparison, alongside information on missing passengers' physical characteristics and personal records.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when it capsized in bad weather early on Sunday. Six people have been confirmed dead and 108 rescued, leaving 129 missing.

The ferry was last reported about 150km south of Banjarmasin at around 02:00 local time on Sunday. Authorities received a distress report from the vessel's operator, PT Virgo, at 04:10.

Indonesia's search and rescue agency, navy and maritime police are involved in the operation, with ships, a helicopter and around 280 personnel deployed. Vessels operating in the area have also been asked to report any signs of passengers.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said Indonesia's National Transport Safety Committee would investigate the incident.

Families have gathered at ports in Banjarmasin and Surabaya seeking information about missing relatives.

Search operations for the remaining passengers and crew are continuing.