Preliminary Data: Six Dead in Virgo Transport 8 Ship Accident

Basarnas has reported preliminary data indicating six fatalities among the 103 individuals evacuated following the accident of the Virgo Transport 8, which was carrying 243 people in the Java Sea waters as of Sunday (13/09/2026). The Head of the Class A Search and Rescue Office in Banjarmasin, acting as SAR Mission Coordinator, I Putu Sudayana, stated in Banjarmasin on Sunday that the six deceased victims were evacuated by the vessels TB Mauhaw IX and TB TCP, while all victims evacuated by MV Haida were reported safe.

TB Mauhaw IX evacuated 16 people, consisting of 15 survivors and one fatality. Meanwhile, TB TCP successfully evacuated 38 people from the scene, with a breakdown of 33 survivors and five fatalities.

Additionally, MV Haida managed to evacuate 49 people from the Virgo Transport 8, all of whom were declared safe. Consequently, the total number of individuals successfully evacuated has reached 103, comprising 97 survivors and six fatalities.

The Virgo Transport 8 was reported to have lost contact in the Java Sea waters on Sunday at 02:00 WITA, while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin since Saturday (12/09/2026). In response, Basarnas has intensified search and rescue operations by deploying both aerial units and joint SAR vessels.

The 16 individuals evacuated by TB Mauhaw IX, including one fatality, will be transported to Tuban Port according to the vessel’s captain. Meanwhile, the 87 individuals evacuated by TB TCP and MV Haida will be taken to Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Joint SAR operations involving sea and air units are continuing to sweep the accident site and search for other victims, given that out of the total 243 people on board the Virgo Transport 8, 140 individuals have not yet been included in the list of evacuated victims.