Indonesian authorities extended, on Saturday, the search operations for dozens still missing after a passenger ferry sank last week in the Java Sea, according to an official in the rescue service. The ferry "Fergo Transport 8" was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members when it lost contact after sailing from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, on Java Island, on Sunday, heading to Banjarmasin in Borneo. Rescuers retrieved three bodies from the sunken ship at the bottom of the sea on Friday, raising the death toll to nine, while 126 passengers are still missing, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency. The agency's director, Yudi Bramantyo, said the authorities decided to extend the search operations as discussions are underway on ways to lift the wreckage of the ferry, fearing that some victims may be trapped inside. Yudi stated during a press conference, "We have decided to extend the operation for the next seven days, awaiting the results of the discussions and the steps taken by the rescue team." He pointed out that divers have been sent to search for victims amidst the wreckage of the ship, saying, "We hope the weather conditions will be favorable tomorrow so that the divers can carry out their tasks." Search and rescue operations usually last seven days in Indonesia and can be extended based on several factors, including the possibility of recovering some victims. Maritime accidents are common in Indonesia, which has more than 17,000 islands and relies heavily on maritime transport, partly due to non-compliance with safety standards and weather fluctuations.