On the Third Day, Search for Virgo Transport 8 Victims Expanded Underwater
The KRI Canopus has been deployed to sweep sector five of the six search sectors for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident in the Java Sea on the third day of the SAR operation, in order to extend the search coverage to the underwater zone.
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 search map used in the SAR operation.
“Yes. The KRI Canopus departed this morning and we have deployed it to sector five on the search map,” said Putu, speaking about developments in the third day of SAR operations for the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday, 15 September 2026.
Putu said the KRI Canopus is reinforcing the search alongside a number of other vessels stationed across six sectors, namely the KRI Nala, KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai, KRI Pulau Fani, KN SAR Laksamana 241 Banjarmasin, KN Kunyit, KAL Kumai, and KN SAR Wisanggeni 236 Balikpapan.
In addition, the maritime elements involved in the search operation include the KN SAR Kamajaya 104 Makassar, KN SAR Permadi 249 Surabaya, Rigid Buoyancy Boats (RBB), KP Laksamana 7012, KP Orca 06, MV Haida, KM Cahaya Bahari Jaya, MT Mauhuw IX, and TB Transcoal Pacific, supporting sweeps across the search area.
Basarnas said the deployment of the KRI Canopus to sector five forms part of efforts to broaden search coverage on the third day of the SAR operation, with the total search area divided into six sectors to optimise the sweep for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident in the Java Sea.
Previously, Head of Basarnas Mohammad Syafii said the technology carried by the KRI Canopus includes underwater drones, a multibeam echo sounder, and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), which can be used to help detect and map underwater conditions in the effort to locate victims and parts of the vessel being targeted in the search.
As of Tuesday, 15 September 2026 at 09.00 WITA, Basarnas confirmed that 114 victims had been found, comprising 108 survivors and six deceased, meaning 129 people remain unaccounted for out of a total of 243.