BANJARMASIN (TABIRkota) – The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has extended the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 incident and deployed 12 qualified divers to conduct underwater searches.
According to Basarnas Director of Operations, First Admiral Yudhi Bramantyo Nur Sasongko, the SAR operation has been extended for another seven days to locate the 126 victims who remain missing.
"A total of 86 SAR personnel, including 12 qualified divers, have been deployed from Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, to the site of the KM Virgo Transport 8 wreckage in the Java Sea," he stated during a press conference at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Saturday evening.
He noted that the decision to increase the number of SAR personnel followed coordination with stakeholders to support the operation and the salvage team tasked with raising the shipwreck, which is being coordinated by the ship’s owner.
"This reinforcement of personnel aims to expand the search area and accelerate the victim recovery process," he said.
With the additional personnel, the SAR team will intensify searches across the sea surface, around the wreckage, and conduct underwater searches adapted to field conditions.
Yudhi Bramantyo Nur Sasongko added that the planned salvage operation requires time and cannot be executed immediately.
"The two salvage teams coordinated by the ship’s owner only arrived on Saturday afternoon. As of this evening, they are still holding meetings and discussions with relevant parties to determine the next steps," he said.
Basarnas is extending the operation while awaiting the outcome of the salvage team’s discussions regarding the handling of the shipwreck, ensuring that search and rescue efforts align with developments on the ground.
As of the seventh day of the operation on Saturday at approximately 21:00 WITA, Basarnas confirmed that 117 victims had been located. This total comprises 108 survivors and nine fatalities. Meanwhile, 126 people remain missing out of the 243 listed on the ship’s manifest.
Earlier, the KM Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 passengers, was reported to have lost contact in the Java Sea on Sunday (Sept. 13) at around 02:00 WITA. The vessel was en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin after departing the previous Saturday (Sept. 12). (ra)
