Indonesia Intensifies Search for 118 Missing Ferry Passengers

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Police (Polri) has intensified search and rescue operations for KM Virgo Transport 8, which lost contact and sank in waters off South Tanjung, South Kalimantan, near Masalembu Island. The vessel was sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when it was reported missing at around 2:05 a.m. Central Indonesia Time on Sunday September 13, 2026.

According to preliminary data as of 9 a.m. local time on Sunday, the vessel was carrying 243 people, including approximately 215 passengers and 30 crew members. Of the total, 125 people have been evacuated, comprising 124 survivors and one person who died, while 118 others remain missing.

Head of the Public Information Bureau of the National Police’s Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko, said the search and rescue of passengers and crew members who remain missing is the police’s top priority. “The National Police is providing full support for the KM Virgo Transport 8 SAR operation, with the main priority being the search, rescue, and evacuation of all passengers and crew members still missing,” he said.

The vessel’s last known position was estimated to be around Masalembu Island, approximately 86 nautical miles from Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin. The incident has prompted a coordinated response involving the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian Navy, the Port Authority and Harbor Master’s Office, local government authorities, and other relevant agencies.

To strengthen the operation, the National Police has deployed three police vessels to the incident area. The vessels are KP Laksmana-7012, KP Ibis-6001, and KP Manyar-5003, which were dispatched from their respective operational areas to support the search and evacuation efforts.

The SAR operation is also supported by several other vessels, including Basarnas’ KN Laksamana and the Port Authority’s KNP 382, as well as commercial and support vessels. Two helicopters, operated by the Central Kalimantan Police and Basarnas Surabaya, have also been deployed to help expand the search area.

Trunoyudo said the combined strength was intended to accelerate the search and rescue process while ensuring that support for victims and their families remains available. “All these resources are being mobilized to expand the search area and accelerate the evacuation process,” he said.

In addition to search and evacuation efforts, the National Police has established medical services, information centers, and Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) posts in South Kalimantan and East Java. The authorities have also opened communication channels for families seeking information, while the SAR operation will continue until all missing passengers and crew members are located and evacuated.