Transport Minister Orders Priority Evacuation of KMP Virgo Transport 8 in Java Sea; Integrated Command Post Opened
Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi has instructed all relevant agencies and parties to prioritise the search, evacuation, and passenger data collection for KMP Virgo Transport 8, which met with an accident in the Java Sea waters on Sunday (13/9).
“Our priority at this time is to search for and rescue as many passengers and crew members of KMP Virgo Transport 8 as possible,” the Minister stated in Jakarta on Sunday.
On this occasion, the Minister expressed deep condolences regarding the tragedy. He prayed for the deceased victims and expressed hope for the swift recovery of those who survived.
“On behalf of the Government, we express our deepest condolences for this tragedy. For the victims who have passed away, may they find the best place by the side of Allah SWT. For the survivors, I hope they can recover quickly and return to their activities as usual,” he said.
He also emphasised that every passenger successfully found must immediately receive maximum medical assistance.
According to operational data, KMP Virgo Transport 8, captained by Arief Yunianto, departed from Surabaya Port on 12 September 2026 at 06:52 WIB, bound for Banjarmasin Port. The ship’s manifest recorded a total of 243 passengers on board.
Intensive sweeping and evacuation processes at the site of the incident are being continuously carried out by a joint team.
“As of this afternoon, Basarnas has successfully evacuated 107 survivors and 6 fatalities. A total of 136 passengers are still in the process of being searched for,” the Minister explained.
Regarding the exact cause of the accident, the Minister has fully deferred the investigation process to the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT). He requested the public and the media to be patient and allow the expert team space to work professionally, independently, and based on facts.
“We do not wish to precede the KNKT investigation. The most important thing is that the cause of this accident can be clearly identified and serve as material for evaluation to improve maritime safety in the future,” said the Minister.
To support emergency handling, the Ministry of Transportation, together with Pelindo, has officially opened an Integrated Command Post at Trisakti Port. This facility was established to facilitate coordination, the rescue process, and the data collection of all victims.
“I thank Pelindo for assisting in the preparation of this Integrated Command Post. I hope the entire process can run smoothly, and for members of the public who feel they have lost family members, it is expected that they immediately report such information to the post officers,” concluded the Minister.
The Minister expressed his highest appreciation to the ranks of Basarnas, the TNI/Polri (Military/Police), the South Kalimantan Provincial Government, medical personnel, ship operators, and all elements working together in this humanitarian operation.