Virgo Transport 8 Ship Incident in the Java Sea: 1 Dead, 115 Safe
An incident occurred involving the motor vessel (KM) Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea waters, specifically around the Masalembo area, in the early hours of Sunday (13/09/2026). The 8,540 GT Ro-Ro passenger ship, carrying hundreds of souls, experienced extreme listing, which ultimately led to a loss of contact.
According to official incident data compiled from the Ministry of Transportation as of Sunday (13/09/2026) afternoon, the tragedy has resulted in fatalities, while hundreds of other passengers were successfully evacuated safely thanks to the rapid response of a joint team.
In the initial report released by port authorities, the vessel, captained by Arief Yunianto, departed from the Port of Surabaya on Saturday (12/0_9/2026) at 06:52 local time, bound for the Port of Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The ship, owned by PT Virgo Karya Shipping with the call sign YDIL4, was transporting a combination of passengers and vehicles with a total of 30 crew members.
However, misfortune struck as the ship traversed the Masalembo waters at 01:00 local time. The vessel entered an emergency situation, after which contact was severed.
Casualty Data: 1 Dead, 115 Safe
Amidst the emergency rescue operation commanded by the Harbour Master’s Office alongside Basarnas, news of tragedy and relief arrived simultaneously from the evacuation lines.
To date, one person has been reported dead, while 115 individuals have been successfully rescued, one of whom sustained injuries and is receiving intensive medical treatment. Meanwhile, the impact on cargo, potential environmental pollution, or other property losses outside the ship are still undergoing further confirmation by the authorities.
Joint SAR Operation Involves Tankers and Tugboats
As soon as the emergency signal was received, the handling post moved swiftly under strict coordination between the Harbour Master, Basarnas Banjarmasin, the Port Authority (BUP) PT Pelindo, and the Navigation District Office (Disnav) Banjarmasin via VTS.
The sea rescue and evacuation operation relied not only on SAR fleets but also involved commercial vessels located near the incident site. According to field reports, the evacuation process was successfully executed thanks to the synergy between the BASARNAS Banjarmasin Team and assisting vessels, namely KM Hai Da, MT Mau Ha, and TB TCP.
On the other hand, relevant authorities have ensured that, so far, there are no indications of environmental pollution around the incident site. The Harbour Master is also continuing intensive coordination with the Pilotage of PT Pelindo III Banjarmasin and ship agencies to monitor further developments in the field.
As of the time of this report, the exact cause of the accident—whether due to natural, technical, or human factors—cannot yet be determined and is awaiting the results of an official investigation and further examination reports.