Saving for Wedding Costs, Rafiq and His Girlfriend Missing After KM Virgo Sinks

SUMEDANG, KOMPAS.com - Rafiq Ilham (29), a resident of Limus Nunggal Hamlet, Rancamulya Village, North Sumedang District, Sumedang Regency, West Java, remains missing after the KM Virgo Transport 8 sank in the Masalembo waters, Sumenep, East Java, on Sunday (9/13/2026).

Rafiq was listed as a passenger on the ship traveling the Surabaya-Banjarmasin route, along with his girlfriend, Isna Aulia (26), who is also still missing.

While the family waits anxiously, it has come to light that Rafiq was saving money to take his relationship with Isna to the next step—marriage.

Rafiq’s mother, Reski Fitria (47), shared that her son often talked about his plans to get married.

However, Rafiq felt he didn’t have enough funds yet and kept working and saving.

“He often talked about marriage. He said he wasn’t ready financially and was still gathering money,” Reski said when met at a relative's home in Babakan Regol, Sukajaya Village, South Sumedang, Thursday evening (9/17/2026).

Working away from home to save for wedding costs

Rafiq had been working away from home for years, based in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

During his time away, he worked in various jobs to earn an income.

He once worked in a coal mining area before becoming a driver at a shopping center in Banjarmasin city.

His family described Rafiq as a responsible individual.

Part of his earnings from his work outside was being saved to prepare for his wedding plans with Isna.

Rafiq frequently shared these plans with his mother when talking about his future with his girlfriend.

However, those plans have now been put on hold after Rafiq and Isna were passengers on KM Virgo Transport 8, which was involved in an accident and sank in Masalembo waters.

Rafiq and Isna listed on KM Virgo manifest

Both Rafiq and Isna are registered on the passenger manifest of KM Virgo Transport 8.

The ship was sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when it met with an accident and sank in Masalembo waters on Sunday.