KMP Virgo Transport 8 Sinks, Total Evaluation Required
The sinking of the KMP Virgo Transport 8 in Javanese waters on Sunday (13/09/2026) has triggered a harsh reaction from the Garuda Merah Putih People’s Brigade (Garuda MP). The organisation is demanding decisive action from policymakers regarding the management of the national ship classification authority.
Warsun, Secretary General of Garuda MP, alongside General Treasurer Adrianus Eko Saputro, has called upon Danantara and the Ministry of SOEs to immediately conduct a thorough evaluation of the Board of Directors at PT Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia (BKI). This evaluation should focus on the oversight system, the professionalism of surveyors, and the mechanisms for ship inspection and classification.
The vessel, which was sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, has come under scrutiny following the emergence of data discrepancies. According to manifest documents dated 12 September 2026, only 60 passengers were recorded. However, field reports suggest there were 243 persons on board (POB). This significant discrepancy is currently awaiting further verification from the relevant authorities.
Warsun emphasised that if official investigations prove negligence in the survey process or the inspection of vessel seaworthiness, sanctions must not be limited to lower-level staff. “We request that Danantara and the Ministry of SOEs evaluate the BKI directors. If there is negligence by surveyors, the oversight and supervision systems at the management level must also be examined. The President Director and the Board of Directors cannot be absolved of institutional responsibility,” Warsun stated in an official release on Sunday.
He added that recurring maritime accidents must serve as a momentum for a total overhaul of the maritime safety system. In his view, the causes of accidents should not be oversimplified as merely weather factors or human error. “Everything must be inspected, from the condition of the ship, stability, maintenance, and certification, to the survey results and the decision-making process when a ship is declared seaworthy.”
Echoing Warsun’s sentiments, Garuda MP General Treasurer Adrianus Eko Saputro highlighted BKI’s strategic position within the maritime ecosystem, reminding that every certificate issued by BKI is directly linked to the preservation of human life.
Currently, 69 survivors of the KMP Virgo Transport 8 have been evacuated to Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, while joint SAR teams continue to search for the remaining 136 victims in the Java Sea. The accident on the Surabaya-Banjarmasin route adds to a recent string of maritime transport incidents. Meanwhile, the search post at Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya has begun receiving families of the passengers. Reports indicate that out of 243 people, 107 have survived and six have been confirmed dead, with 130 still missing.
Banjarmasin Mayor Muhammad Yamin HR has confirmed that the local government is prepared to handle the passengers and crew of KM Virgo 8 reported missing in the Java Sea. Concurrently, members of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), including Ade Ginanjar and Mori Hanafi, have called for a comprehensive evaluation of national shipping safety and oversight following several recent maritime disasters.