Basarnas deploys 65 joint divers for 14th day of KM Virgo SAR operation

Banjarmasin (ANTARA) - Basarnas has deployed 6 ม65 joint divers to continue search and rescue (SAR) operations on the 14th day for the 83 remaining victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident, who are still trapped inside the sunken ship in the Java Sea.

The Head of the Banjarmasin Class A SAR Office, I Putu Sudayana, acting as the SAR Mission Coordinator, stated that the joint divers consist of personnel from Basarnas, the Indonesian Navy, the Indonesian Underwater Sports Association (POSSI), and other potential SAR contributors.

“Since yesterday, there has been an addition of 19 divers from the Indonesian Navy. Therefore, the total number of divers currently available has reached 65,” said Putu during a press conference regarding the progress of the 13th day of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident SAR operation at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Friday night.

He noted that the 65 divers are divided into several sorties on a rotational basis to search inside the shipwreck on the seabed using similar methods to those used previously.

He added that diving in high-risk areas will not be conducted due to safety concerns, particularly as divers cannot enter all compartments of the ship because the KM Virgo Transport 8 remains tilted on the seabed.

“Actions in areas with low stability could affect the condition of the ship and endanger the divers conducting the search inside the wreckage,” said Putu Sudayana.

As of the 13th day of the SAR operation, Friday at 22:00 WITA, Basarnas confirmed that 160 victims have been found, consisting of 108 survivors and 52 fatalities, while 83 victims remain missing from the total of 243 people listed on the KM Virgo Transport 8 manifest.