Basarnas: Virgo Transport 8 Ship Sinks After Being Hit by 3-Metre Waves
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has revealed that the Virgo Transport 8 vessel was struck by waves with a height of more than three metres during an accident in the Java Sea. This information was gathered based on statements from several surviving passengers during the SAR operation.
The Head of Basarnas, Mohammad Syafii, explained that the data was obtained after the team received the first vessel that evacuated 69 victims the previous night. Passengers confirmed that bad weather triggered high waves that entered the interior of the ship.
“It was reported that it began with bad weather. This was confirmed by several passengers, stating that the waves were able to enter the interior of the Virgo Transport 8,” Syafii said during a press conference at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, on Monday (14/9).
According to Syafii, the indication of waves entering the ship’s interior suggests that the wave height during the incident is estimated to have exceeded three metres. In addition to witness accounts, Basarnas is also referring to weather data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to map the water conditions at the accident site.
Regarding the location of the incident, Basarnas has obtained the coordinates of the ship, which is approximately 8lag 80 nautical miles from the post position in Banjarmasin. However, Basarnas has not yet provided a final conclusion regarding the exact cause of the accident.
“The Head of the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has also joined us to collect data, the results of which can serve as material for the investigation,” Syafii added. A technical investigation will be conducted to determine whether weather or other factors were the primary cause.
KM Virgo Transport 8 was previously reported to have lost contact in the Masalembo waters, Java Sea, on Sunday (13/9) at approximately 02:00 WITA. The ship was en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin since Saturday (12/9) before the disaster occurred.
Search efforts are currently ongoing by a joint team, including support from the National Police, which has dispatched three police vessels to the site of the sinking to accelerate the evacuation process for the passengers still missing.
A total of 69 survivors of the Virgo Transport 8 accident have arrived at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, to undergo medical examinations. The joint SAR team is still searching for the remaining victims in the Java Sea.
The East Java Regional Police Medical and Health Department (Bidokkes Polda Jatim) has established an Ante Mortem Post at Tanjung Perak Port to register the families of the victims of the Virgo Transport 8 sinking.
A survivor, Ahmad Saudi, recounted the moments the ship tilted rapidly to the left without an alarm before finally sinking.
In the conference, the government noted that 107 out of 243 passengers have been successfully evacuated, with six deaths confirmed and 130 passengers still in the process of being searched for.
Basarnas is also continuing to inventory and bring in personnel with specialised diving capabilities. To date, Basarnas has confirmed that 114 victims have been found, with a breakdown of 108 survivors and six deceased.