Basarnas deploys helicopter to search for victims of ship accident in the Java Sea

Basarnas has deployed one helicopter to strengthen the search for victims of the Virgo Transport 8 ship accident, which lost contact in the waters of the Java Sea. The aircraft was dispatched from Surabaya to proceed directly to the search location.

The Head of the Banjarmasin Class A Search and Rescue Office, acting as SAR Mission Coordinator, I Putu Sudayana, stated that the deployment of aerial assets is part of the joint SAR team’s efforts to optimise the search for the vessel and its passengers currently under operational management.

“One Basarnas helicopter has departed from Surabaya for the search operation,” he said during a press conference regarding the progress of the SAR operation for the Virgo Transport 8 accident in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Sunday.

He noted that after arriving at Syamsudin Noor Airbase in Banjarbaru, Basarnas conducted coordination efforts, and by 12:30 WITA, the helicopter departed from Syamsudin Noor Airport to conduct searches in the Java Sea to bolster the joint SAR team’s efforts to find the ship and its passengers.

He added that the search operation up until Sunday afternoon involves all elements of the joint SAR team, including KN SAR Laksamana and KRI Nala, which are moving alongside several other vessels to expand search and rescue efforts for the Virgo Transport 8.

He mentioned that the deployment of aerial assets was carried out as part of the joint SAR team’s maximum effort after the ship was reported to have lost contact in the Java Sea, while the search continues to be coordinated with all elements present at the operational site.

As of Sunday, 12:00 WITA, the joint SAR team has successfully evacuated 103 passengers out of a total of 243 people. Specifically, the vessel TB Mauhaw IX evacuated 16 people, consisting of 15 survivors and one fatality, while TB TCP evacuated 38 people, all of whom are safe.

Additionally, MV Haida evacuated 49 people in safe condition, bringing the total number of passengers successfully evacuated from the Virgo Transport 8 to 103 as of the SAR operation update on Sunday afternoon.

The 16 individuals evacuated by TB Mauhaw IX will be transported to Tuban Port according to information from the ship’s captain, while passengers evacuated by TB TCP and MV Haida will be taken to Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.