Indonesian Navy: Wreckage of KM Virgo remains visible despite being submerged
The Commander of the Banjarmasin Indonesian Navy Base (Danlanal), Colonel Galih Nurna Putra, stated that the wreckage of the KM Virgo Transport 8, which was involved in an accident, remains visible even though it is now beneath the sea surface.
Colonel Galih noted that the wreckage of the KM Virgo has shifted approximately another 450 metres, following a previous displacement of about 2,963 metres from its original coordinates at the time of the accident in the Java Sea on Sunday (13/9).
“The part that was visible in red yesterday is now at or below the water surface, but it can still be seen,” he said during a press conference regarding the progress of the SAR operation on the fourth day of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Wednesday night.
He mentioned that this change in condition will alter the plans for the diving team, who will first conduct observations to ensure the ship’s condition matches the drawings and data obtained during the initial stages before activities proceed gradually.
“Therefore, this situation will certainly change the planning to be implemented by the diving team,” he added.
He stated that the actions of the joint SAR team will be carried out through stages that adapt to the conditions and diving activities. The operation will be conducted by personnel with the necessary qualifications for the site, specifically specialist divers from the Navy’s Frogman Command (Kopaska) and the Underwater Diving Service (Dislambair) TNI AL, under the direct supervision of the Commander of the II Fleet Command (Pangkoarmada II).
KMP Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people when it set sail from Surabaya, East Java, towards Banjarmasin on 12 September 2026.
The vessel was reported to have encountered bad weather and lost contact before being found capsized in the Masalembo waters, Java Sea, on 13 September 2026 at 02:00 WITA.
As of Wednesday (16/9) at 22:00 WITA, Basarnas confirmed that 114 victims have been found, consisting of 108 survivors and six fatalities.
From that total, 129 people remain missing out of the 243 individuals listed on the KM Virgo Transport 8 manifest.