Search operations continue as Virgo Transport 8 wreckage located 30 meters underwater
Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency has located the sunken ferry Virgo Transport 8 at 30 meters depth in the Java Sea, while deliberating whether to tow the vessel or leave it on the seabed as search efforts for missing passengers continue.
Virgo Transport 8's wreck lies 30 meters underwater: Basarnas
Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has confirmed that the wreckage of the Virgo Transport 8 lies approximately 30 meters underwater following its capsizing in the Java Sea, with authorities now weighing options for the vessel's recovery while prioritizing the ongoing search for survivors.
The ferry, which was carrying 243 people including 213 passengers and 30 crew members along with 89 vehicles, capsized approximately 80 nautical miles off Banjarmasin on September 13, 2026. The vessel had been traveling from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, when it encountered severe weather conditions with waves reaching up to three meters.
Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii, who heads Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency—a non-ministerial government institution operating across all 33 provinces and reporting directly to the President—addressed the media at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin on Monday evening. The port, located at the strategic intersection of the Barito and Martapura rivers, serves as a key gateway to Central and South Kalimantan and handles passenger ferries to and from Java.
"In an accident response like this, our colleagues in the Indonesian Navy believe it would actually be better to leave the vessel on the seabed if it remains stable," Syafii explained, noting that the relatively shallow depth of 30 meters was among the factors being considered in determining next steps.
The incident began in the early morning hours of September 13 when the captain reported that the ship was listing at approximately 2:00 AM local time amid rough seas. Communications were subsequently lost, and the vessel capsized shortly thereafter.
Multi-sector search operation continues
Basarnas has maintained a search operation divided into six sectors on the water's surface, though Syafii indicated these boundaries may shift based on updated mapping from the agency's Command Center.
"We certainly continue to hope the victims will be found soon and in safe condition," he stated.
The Indonesian Navy's KRI Canopus, a 105-meter hydro-oceanographic survey vessel commissioned earlier this year, has been deployed to assist in the search. The advanced vessel, which serves as Indonesia's first submarine rescue ship, is equipped for search and rescue operations and capable of conducting maritime surveys to depths of up to 11,000 meters.
Current reports indicate six confirmed fatalities, with approximately 140 people still missing from the disaster. Basarnas has readied 30 ambulances to support the rescue operation.
Maritime safety concerns in Indonesian waters
The Virgo Transport 8 tragedy adds to Indonesia's troubling maritime safety record. Government data shows 111 ship accidents occurred in the country between 2020 and 2026, including a ferry fire off Madura island in August 2026 that claimed five lives.
Over a longer period spanning 2003 to 2025, Indonesia recorded 250 maritime accidents resulting in 2,616 casualties, comprising 1,925 fatalities and 691 injuries. The majority of these incidents involved vessel fires and sinkings.
The Java Sea, where the current disaster unfolded, has been the site of major maritime tragedies in the past, most notably the 1981 sinking of the Tampomas II, which according to some estimates resulted in approximately 600 deaths.
As search operations enter their third day, Basarnas continues to coordinate efforts with the Indonesian Navy and other agencies while families await news of their missing loved ones.