Over One Hundred Passengers Still Missing as SAR Operations Intensify
Search and Rescue (SAR) operations for the victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 sinking in the Java Sea have been intensified, involving a joint task force. Latest data indicates that out of 243 passengers, only 107 have been successfully evacuated safely, while the remainder are still being searched for.
The Minister of Transportation, Dudy Purwagandhy, and the Head of Basarnas, Air Marshal Felicianus Henry Bambang Soelistyo, have personally descended to monitor the SAR operations following the KM Virgo Transport 8 disaster.
The National SAR Post noted that the joint SAR team has deployed full fleets from land, sea, and air. To maximise evacuation efforts, Basarnas is leading a large-scale deployment of primary weaponry and equipment, involving the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces), Polri (National Police), the Ministry of Transportation, and BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency).
It is reported that due to bad weather, the Ro-Ro type vessel, which was carrying 243 passengers, tilted and eventually sank. The crew had previously transmitted radio distress signals and activated the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) when the severe weather occurred.
At sea, Basarnas has deployed SAR vessels from three main posts: Banjarmasin, Surabaya, and Makassar. The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) has also deployed four warships (KRI) to the coordinates of the incident, assisted by four commercial vessels located near the site to evacuate victims from the sea.
In the air, intensive sweeping is being conducted using Basarnas aircraft (TNI AL Surabaya Squadron 400), TNI AL CN-235 aircraft, BNPB Caravan aircraft, and one National Police helicopter.
Basarnas has not yet released the exact cause of the accident, awaiting a deep investigation by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) once the entire evacuation process is complete. The latest data as of 5:00 PM WITA shows that 107 people have been evacuated safely. Six passengers have died, and over one hundred passengers remain missing.
The Banjarmasin SAR Office, in coordination with the Basarnas Command Centre, has issued an emergency status declaration for all shipping traffic in the Java Sea.