Nine Victims Found Within KMP Virgo Wreck Today, 107 People Still Missing

The joint SAR team successfully evacuated nine victims of the KMP Virgo Transport 8 on the 11th day of operations, Wednesday (23/09/2026). The nine bodies were recovered from the hull of the ship, which sank in the waters of the Java Sea, South Kalimantan.

The Head of Basarnas, M. Syafii, stated that the discovery of these nine victims is the result of the hard work and bravery of the entire SAR team in the field, especially as the team continues to conduct searches amidst difficult underwater conditions.

“Nine victims were successfully found thanks to the bravery of the BSG divers and the Indonesian Navy, who continued to sweep the interior of the ship,” he said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

The nine victims of KM Virgo Transport 8 were found and evacuated by divers from the Basarnas Special Group (BSG) and the Indonesian Navy within the shipwreck. Despite challenging underwater currents and low visibility, the divers continued to search the interior of the vessel until the victims were located.

After being retrieved from the ship, the victims were evacuated to the KN SAR Pacitan and flown via Basarnas Helicopter HR 3061 to Banjarmasin. The victims were then taken to Bhayangkara Hospital for identification and further medical handling.

Syafii stated that his agency will continue its efforts to evacuate the remaining victims of KMP Virgo Transport 8. “We will continue our efforts to provide certainty to the families who are still waiting,” he said.

According to the latest data, out of a total of 243 people on the ship’s manifest, 136 individuals have been successfully evacuated. Of these, 108 were found safe and 28 have been confirmed dead. Meanwhile, 107 people remain missing and are still being searched for.