KM Virgo Transport 8 Loses Contact in Java Sea, 115 Evacuated

The passenger ship KM Virgo Transport 8 experienced a tilt and lost contact early Sunday morning in the Masalembo waters of the Java Sea. Of the 243 people on board, 115 have been evacuated, while search and data collection efforts are ongoing. According to the Banjarmasin Class I KSOP (Port Authority), the Indonesian-flagged RORO ship departed from Surabaya on September 12 at 06:52 local time, bound for Banjarmasin. The ship is headed by Arief Yunianto and operated by PT Virgo Karya Shipping. Heri Purwanto, Head of KSOP Class I Banjarmasin, stated that the vessel tilted and lost contact around 02:00 local time in the Masalembo waters. The manifest indicates a total of 243 people on board, comprising 30 crew members, 27 ship partners, 59 adult passengers, one child, and 126 drivers and porters. The ship was also carrying 89 vehicles. "We have responded quickly to the report of the incident experienced by the KM Virgo Transport 8 in the waters of Masalembo. Our main focus and priority at this time is the safety of all parties on board through the deployment of coordinated rescue operations," Heri said in an official statement. A joint SAR team with Basarnas Banjarmasin is conducting the search and rescue operations, with assistance from nearby vessels. In the initial handling process, a total of 115 passengers have been successfully evacuated in a safe state or received medical treatment. The cause of the incident remains unknown, with KSOP investigating possibilities including weather, technical, and human factors. The impact on cargo, potential pollution, and other losses are also being documented and assessed. Source: VOI English