KRI Canopus sweeps sector five in underwater search for Virgo ship victims

The KRI Canopus was deployed to sweep sector five of the six-sector search map for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident in the Java Sea on the third day of the SAR operation on Tuesday, extending the search coverage to underwater areas.

Head of the Banjarmasin Class A Search and Rescue Office, I Putu Sudayana, who serves as SAR Mission Coordinator, said the KRI Canopus departed early in the morning and was immediately assigned to sector five based on the sector division on the search map used in the SAR operation.

“Yes. KRI Canopus departed in the morning, and we have already deployed it to sector five of the search map,” said Putu, delivering updates on the third day of the SAR operation for KM Virgo Transport 8 at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday.

In addition, the maritime elements involved in the search operation include the KN SAR Kamajaya 104 from Makassar, KN SAR Permadi 249 from Surabaya, Rigid Buoyancy Boats (RBB), KP Laksamana 7012, KP Orca 06, MV Haida, KM Cahaya Bahari Jaya, MT Mauhuw IX, and TB Transcoal Pacific, to support sweeping in the search area.

Basarnas said the deployment of KRI Canopus to sector five forms part of efforts to widen the search coverage on the third day of the SAR operation, with the total search area divided into six sectors to optimise the search for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident in the Java Sea.

As of Tuesday (15/9) at 09.00 WITA (Central Indonesia Time), Basarnas confirmed that 114 victims had been found, comprising 108 survivors and six deceased, meaning 129 people remain missing out of a total of 243.

Of the 114 victims found, 110 have arrived in Banjarmasin, comprising 108 survivors and two deceased. Meanwhile, the four other victims, who died, are still in the process of being evacuated using air assets.