Basarnas: Search for KM Virgo Victims to Continue as Long as Possible
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is continuing the search for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8, which capsized and sank in the Masalembo waters, Java Sea, South Kalimantan. The search operation will persist as long as it remains possible to locate and evacuate the victims.
Basarnas Head, Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii, stated that the search, including underwater operations, will proceed while considering weather conditions and personnel safety. “The SAR operation will never be stopped as long as it is still possible to find and evacuate the victims,” Syafii said in Yogyakarta on Tuesday (29/9).
According to Syafii, the operation can only be halted once all victims have been found or if field conditions no longer allow the team to perform recovery or evacuation. He cited the search for KM Tunu Pratama Jaya in the Bali Strait last year as an example, noting that sea depth, current speed, and medical considerations regarding the condition of the victims can be factors that make continued operations impossible.
“If there are signs that victims can still be evacuated, we will certainly continue the operation,” he added.
Basarnas previously maximised the first three days of the search as the ‘golden time’ for the KM Virgo incident. Initial searches were conducted on the surface in the hope that all victims could be found alive. However, of the 114 victims found on the first day, six were confirmed dead. Because the ship was found capsized, Basarnas suspects that some victims may still be trapped inside.
Underwater searches have also been conducted, but the operation faces challenges from extremely strong sea currents. Syafii noted that current speeds at the location had reached over 6 knots, even touching 7 knots, whereas equipment such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) is typically operated at speeds of around 1.5 knots. Due to these conditions, divers cannot operate underwater all day, and Basarnas is adjusting the search schedule to coincide with tidal changes to ensure personnel safety.
Furthermore, the identification process is ongoing alongside the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team and medical personnel. Basarnas is also conducting regular operational evaluations every seven days to determine the next steps based on the latest field information.
“We are racing against time because the longer it takes, the more difficult it becomes for the DVI team to identify the victims,” Syafii said.
The joint SAR team continues the search for the victims of KM Virgo Transport 8. The vessel was reported to have lost contact in the Java Sea waters on Sunday (13/9) at 02:00 WITA, while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The ship, carrying 243 passengers according to the manifest, encountered bad weather and was found capsized on the same day.
As of Monday (28/9), 179 victims have been accounted for, consisting of 108 survivors and 71 fatalities. Meanwhile, 64 individuals remain missing out of the total manifest of 243 people.