Four bodies of KMP Virgo victims evacuated via helicopter

Pandeglang, Banten (ANTARA) - Basarnas has successfully evacuated four bodies of victims from the KMP Virgo Transport 8 accident using helicopters to Syamsudin Noor Airport, South Kalimantan.

Basarnas Head Mohammad Syafii, in an official statement received in Pandeglang, Banten, on Wednesday, stated that the aerial evacuation was carried out in stages on Tuesday (15/9). The process began with the landing of helicopter HR-3601 at 11:23 WITA, carrying two deceased victims from TB Trans Coal Pacific.

Subsequently, at 11:55 WITA, helicopter AS-365 P-3013 landed at Syamsudin Noor Airport, carrying two other deceased victims who were also successfully evacuated from the waters.

In addition to the evacuation of the deceased, 22 survivors were successfully transferred from KM Cahaya Bahari Jaya to KRI Nala, eventually arriving at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, using a Rigid Buoyant Boat (RBB) from Lanal Banjarmasin.

To date, he said, the joint SAR team has recorded a total of 114 passengers successfully evacuated, with a breakdown of 108 survivors and 6 fatalities.

Basarnas emphasised that the primary focus of the current search operation is directed towards locating the 129 passengers still reported missing.

The SAR operation involves 1,097 joint personnel from Basarnas, the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), the South Kalimantan Regional Police, and potential SAR units, supported by five aerial military assets and 17 maritime patrol vessels.

“We continue to optimise the search operation by deploying both sea and air elements. Every development in the field is continuously evaluated to ensure the search area can be determined effectively,” he said.

He added that support aircraft, such as the Cessna 208 Caravan, have also been deployed to expand visual monitoring from the air to maximise the chances of finding all missing victims.