Basarnas Opens Option to Sink Wreck of KM Virgo to Prevent It Drifting
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is opening the option of sinking the wreck of KM Virgo Transport 8, which capsized in the Java Sea.
The option is being considered so that the vessel’s position does not continue to drift, which would complicate the search for victims, including the deployment of divers.
As of Monday (14/9), the wreck had drifted around 2.9 km, or 1.6 nautical miles, from the original location of the incident.
“In a situation like this, based on input from our colleagues in the Indonesian Navy, it may actually be better to sink it if necessary, if only to keep the vessel still, because its location lies at what is in fact a shallow depth of the sea, roughly 30 metres,” said Basarnas Chief Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii to journalists on Tuesday (15/9).
In addition, Syafii said his side was also considering the option of righting the wreck. The vessel is currently in an inverted, or upside-down, position.
Syafii said the option to turn the wreck over was being considered to ease the search involving divers.
“Because if we force things — as I mentioned earlier, when the vessel is floating it carries its own risks. Unless the vessel were in a normal condition, for instance if it sank due to a leak with only its bow above water, then if anything happened it would simply go down,” he said.
“But if it is in a capsized position when the dive team enters, that naturally carries its own risks, and the operation can only be carried out if it meets the requirements and the principle of safety first, meaning there is a guarantee of safety,” he continued.
Syafii said the option of towing the wreck was also under discussion. However, the vessel’s size and weight are important considerations regarding this option.
“It is not something easy to shift or tow, especially given that the weather conditions are not good. So that is on our minds and it is currently under serious discussion. We will involve several sources to determine what action to take going forward,” he said.
As of Monday, of the 243 people on board the vessel, 114 had been successfully found while the remaining 129 were still being searched for.
KM Virgo Transport 8 was reported to have lost contact in the waters of the Java Sea on Sunday (13/9) at 02.00 Central Indonesia Time, while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, having departed on Saturday (12/9). KM Virgo was said to be carrying 243 people, comprising passengers, ship’s officers and crew.