House Commission III Calls for Probe Into KM Virgo Transport 8 Sinking

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - House Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has urged a thorough investigation into the capsizing and sinking of the KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea. If negligence is found, the responsible parties must be prosecuted.

“The police and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) must conduct a comprehensive inquiry. The investigation must be objective and transparent. We need to determine whether this was purely due to weather conditions or if technical issues or negligence contributed to the tragedy,” said Deputy Speaker of House Commission III, Ahmad Sahroni, in a press statement in Jakarta on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

He emphasized that if negligence is proven, those responsible must face legal consequences. He hopes the investigation results will serve as a basis for evaluation to prevent similar accidents in the future.

“If indications of negligence are found, those responsible must be held accountable and processed according to the law. Most importantly, the investigation results must lead to an evaluation so that a tragedy like this does not happen again,” Sahroni said.

At the same time, he called for maximum effort in searching for the remaining missing victims. He also extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the KM Virgo Transport 8 incident.

“Commission III fully supports the National Police in deploying maximum effort for the search and identification of victims, including ensuring that the victims’ families receive the necessary support,” he said.

Sahroni also stressed the importance of providing serious attention to survivors. Health recovery and support must be prioritized as part of the post‑accident response.

On Sunday, September 13, 2026, the KM Virgo Transport 8 encountered disaster while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The ship faced bad weather, began to list, and subsequently lost contact near Masalembo in the Java Sea.

According to the manifest, the vessel was carrying 243 people and transporting 89 vehicles. The ship is a roll‑on/roll‑off (Ro‑Ro) vessel with a gross tonnage of approximately 8,540 GT.

As of the latest reports, 114 people have been located during the joint search and rescue operation. This figure includes 108 survivors and six fatalities, while 129 others remain missing.

Search efforts have now expanded to include underwater operations. On the third day of the mission, KRI Canopus was deployed to support underwater searches after earlier weather conditions hindered the deployment of dive teams. (Misni Parjiati)