Day 14 of Virgo Transport 8 SAR Operation, Two Ships Prepared for Evacuation

RRI.CO.ID, Banjarmasin — The joint search and rescue operation for the KMP Virgo Transport 8 entered its 14th day on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with strengthened support from maritime and air assets as well as divers from various agencies. The Directorate General of Sea Transportation at the Ministry of Transportation deployed three state-owned vessels — KN Grantin P.211, KN Kunyit, and KN Miang Besar — to support the search and evacuation operation.

The three vessels are working alongside KN SAR Pacitan, KN SAR Kamanjaya, KRI GNR 332, KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda, and other maritime assets involved in the operation. Head of the Class II Type A Banjarmasin Navigation District Hary Bowo Seno Putro said KN Kunyit had arrived in the operational area and was positioned as a supporting asset in Ring 1. The vessel is equipped with a reefer container for the temporary storage of bodies, if needed.

“If a significant number of victims are found during the diving operation, KN Kunyit has been prepared as a supporting asset in Ring 1. The vessel is equipped with a reefer container to support the handling and temporary storage of bodies before further evacuation,” Hary Bowo said, as quoted in a statement issued by the Ministry of Transportation in Jakarta on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Meanwhile, KN Miang Besar docked at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin to load a reefer container as part of efforts to strengthen evacuation preparedness. The vessel will subsequently join the search operation. This means that two state navigation vessels are now equipped with reefer containers: KN Kunyit from the Class II Type A Banjarmasin Navigation District and KN Miang Besar from the Class I Type A Samarinda Navigation District.

Head of the Class II Tanjung Perak Sea and Coast Guard Base Capt. Rusmanu said KN Grantin P.211 remained in the operational area to support search and evacuation efforts. The three state vessels deployed by the Directorate General of Sea Transportation are carrying out various functions according to operational needs, including navigational safety support, search and sweeping operations, logistical support and mobilization, as well as victim evacuation.

“All elements are working and coordinating in a single humanitarian mission to support the search and evacuation of victims of KMP Virgo Transport 8 until the operation is declared complete,” Rusmanu said.

In addition to maritime assets, the joint SAR team has deployed helicopters operated by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and the Indonesian Navy to support the search from the air. On the 14th day, the operation focused on diving operations around the KMP Virgo Transport 8 wreck, searching for and evacuating victims, and updating victim data through an integrated system.

The operation is being adjusted to weather, wave and sea-current conditions, as well as safety assessments at the operational site. Weather conditions in the area on Saturday were partly cloudy, with winds reaching around 12 knots from the southeast and wave heights ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 meters.

According to Basarnas data as of 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, out of a total of 243 passengers aboard KMP Virgo Transport 8, 172 people had been found. Of these, 108 were found alive and 64 were found dead, while 71 people remained missing. The joint SAR operation will continue with a focus on inter-agency coordination, effective search and evacuation efforts, and the safety of all personnel involved.