Basarnas Deploys 12 Elite Divers to Continue Search for KM Virgo Passengers

BANJARMASIN, KOMPAS.com - The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has deployed its 12 best divers to continue the search for victims of the Motor Vessel (KM) Virgo Transport 8 accident who remain missing in the Java Sea.

The diving team will conduct underwater operations on the eighth day of the search on Sunday (9/20/2026).

Basarnas Operations Director Rear Admiral TNI Yudhi Bramantyo Nur Sasongko stated that the 12 divers are a selected joint personnel chosen from all SAR diving units following adjustments and team refreshment.

Thus, these 12 divers do not represent the total number of divers involved in the SAR operation.

"The divers prepared to continue underwater operations have experience handling several accidents such as the SAR operations for the Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air crashes several years ago," Yudhi said at Trisakti Port, Banjarmasin, on Saturday night (9/19/2026).

He explained that the team refreshment was not due to a personnel shortage but because some ship elements previously supporting diving operations had to return to base for personnel rotation and to undertake other tasks.

"Basarnas has also prepared replacement units to maintain underwater search capabilities," he added.

He mentioned that the reduced number of divers came from KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai, with KRI Pulau Fani also returning to its home base, and replacement ships will be brought in from KRI Nala, which will arrive on the eighth day of the SAR operation tomorrow.

Basarnas has deployed the vessel TB Jaya Dragon, which will operate alongside the 12 best divers to strengthen the underwater operation previously carried out by 20 Navy divers.

This is while awaiting decisions on the salvage team’s next steps regarding the ship's wreckage.

"The hope is that available personnel will reinforce what the Navy divers have carried out so far. We are also awaiting the salvage team's decision regarding the shipwreck recovery operation. Of course, we continue to strive to conduct underwater searches," he added.

He hopes the weather conditions, which have been relatively favorable in recent days, will persist.

This will allow the diving team to carry out underwater operations optimally and achieve search results comparable to those previously accomplished by Navy divers.

"We hope that the divers deployed tonight can perform the search optimally the following day, so the SAR operation continues to show progress despite adjustments in ship elements and personnel during the operation," Yudhi said.

As of the seventh day of the SAR operation, Saturday night at 9 p.m. Central Indonesia Time, Basarnas confirmed 117 victims have been found, consisting of 108 survivors and 9 deceased.

Meanwhile, 126 individuals remain missing out of a total of 243 people listed on the manifest of KM Virgo Transport 8.

KM Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people when it departed Surabaya, East Java, heading to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on September 12, 2026.

The vessel reportedly encountered severe weather and lost contact on September 13, 2026, around 2 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, before being found that same day capsized in the Masalembo waters of the Java Sea.