KN Purworejo 101 Deployed to Support SAR Operations Following KM Virgo Accident

Tanjungpinang (ANTARA) - The Class A Search and Rescue (SAR) Office of Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, has deployed the vessel KN SAR Purworejo 101 to support the search and rescue operations following the accident involving the KM Virgo Transport 8.

The Head of Tanjungpinang SAR, Fazzli, stated that the KN SAR Purworejo 101 departed from the Basarnas Pier in Sekupang, Batam, heading towards Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, on Wednesday (23/9) at 20:40 WIB.

The vessel’s journey covers approximately 778.3 nautical miles (Nm), with an estimated travel time of roughly 64 hours and 58 minutes.

“The ship is expected to arrive at its destination on Saturday (26/9) at 14:28 WITA,” Fazzli said in Tanjungpinang on Friday.

Fazzli noted that the KN SAR Purworejo 101 was specifically deployed because it is equipped with a decompression chamber, or hyperbaric chamber, which is crucial for supporting safety and managing long-distance technical diving.

According to him, 33 SAR personnel have been dispatched for this mission, consisting of 20 crew members from the KN SAR Purworejo 101, nine divers, two chamber technicians, one facilities staff member, and one public relations officer.

“This support of personnel and primary facilities is being mobilised to strengthen the effectiveness of the search and emergency medical handling during the KM Virgo Transport 8 SAR operation,” Fazzli explained.

Previously, the Indonesian-flagged KM Virgo Transport 8 capsized and sank in the Java Sea waters on 13 September 2026.

The vessel was sailing from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, carrying 243 people and 89 vehicles.

As of the 13th day of the search and rescue operation, Friday (25/9) at 12:00 WITA, Basarnas confirmed that 160 victims have been found, consisting of 108 survivors and 52 fatalities. Meanwhile, 83 victims remain missing out of the total 243 people listed on the KM Virgo Transport 8 manifest.