126 Passengers Still Missing, DVI Requests Information from KM Virgo Victims' Families
Banjarmasin, VIVA – The search for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 is ongoing. As of the seventh day of the SAR operation, 126 individuals out of a total of 243 passengers on the vessel remain missing.
Amidst the ongoing search, the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team of the South Kalimantan Regional Police has requested that families of victims who have not yet reported their family members’ details immediately visit the ante-mortem post.
Dr Supriadi, a member of the South Kalimantan Regional Police DVI Team, stated that data from families is crucial to assist in the identification process of victims found by the SAR team.
“Families of victims who have not yet provided information regarding family members or missing persons, including if there are newly discovered victims, can immediately submit data at our Ante-Mortem Post at Trisakti Port and at the Bhayarkara Hospital in Banjarmasin,” said Supriadi, as quoted on Sunday, 20 September 2026.
According to Supriadi, the DVI Team has received more than 100 ante-mortem data entries from victims’ families so far. This data is being collected through the ante-mortem posts at Trisakti Port and several hospitals.
Ante-mortem data is a vital component in the identification process, particularly when the team discovers victims whose identities are unknown.
On Saturday, 19 September 2026, the South Kalimantan Regional Police DVI Team identified three deceased victims.
Previously, six deceased victims had already been successfully identified. Consequently, all nine deceased victims found by the joint SAR team have now had their identities confirmed.
As of Saturday night at 21:00 WITA, Basarnas recorded that 117 victims have been found. The breakdown includes 108 survivors and nine fatalities.
However, the number of missing persons remains significant. Out of the total 243 people recorded on the KM Virgo Transport 8 manifest, 126 people are still being searched for.
The KM Virgo Transport 8 was previously sailing from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on 12 September 2026.
A day later, on 13 September 2026, at approximately 02:00 WITA, the ship was reported to have encountered bad weather and lost contact.
The vessel was subsequently found on the same day capsized in the Masalembo waters, Java Sea. The joint SAR team continues to conduct search operations for the victims.