Last Updated 6:00 pm WITA on Sunday, 13 September 2026
Reports by KOMPAS at midday on Sunday, 13 September 2026, confirm that 103 passengers from the KM Virgo 8 inter-island ferry sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, have been safely evacuated, leaving the fate of the remaining 140 souls of the estimated initial 243 on board still in doubt.
The Head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), I Putu Sudayana, said vessels passing along the route rescued the passengers after the ship lost contact. “We can confirm that a total of 103 passengers have been evacuated,” Sudayana told reporters on Sunday, 13 September 2026.
Of the 103 passengers evacuated to safety, some are being transported to the Port of Tuban, East Java. “The Tug Boat (TB) Mahau 9 will transport 16 of these survivors to the port of Tuban, East Java,” Sudayana explained. In addition to the Tuban port, other passengers are being taken to the Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin.
Early reports indicate that one passenger has been declared dead at the time of evacuation.
A joint SAR team is conducting search operations for the remaining 140 passengers. Beyond the maritime search, efforts also involve a Basarnas helicopter deployed from Surabaya, East Java.
”At 12:30 WITA, the helicopter landed at Syamsudin Noor Airport in Banjarmasin to refuel before immediately resuming the aerial search,” said Sudayana.
Kompas reports that the inter-island ferry KM Virgo Transport 8 lost radio contact while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on the morning of Sunday, 13 September 2026, with 243 souls on board.
The Head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), I Putu Sudayana, stated that his office received news of the vessel losing contact at 04:10 am (WITA – Central Indonesian Time) from Yoel Rihi, the General Manager of PT Virgo.
”Based on the information received, KM Virgo Transport 8 lost contact around 02:00 WITA, having previously been reported to be facing adverse weather conditions during the voyage to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan,” Sudayana told reporters on Sunday morning. KM Virgo Transport 8 departed Surabaya on Saturday, 12 September 2026, at approximately 10:13 am (WIB – Western Indonesian Time) and was underway in the Java Sea when contact was lost.
Contact Lost in the Java Sea
Sudayana said the vessel’s last known position was in the Java Sea, about 80 nautical miles from the Basirih SAR Pier in Banjarmasin. “As of the time the report was received, the vessel could not be contacted, and its whereabouts remain unknown,” Sudayana explained.
243 Souls On Board
According to information received by Basarnas Banjarmasin, KM Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 passengers. A Basarnas Banjarmasin Team has been deployed to the location where contact was last lost. “Given the significant number of passengers and crew members, we are optimizing coordination with all relevant agencies to accelerate the search process and ensure the safety of everyone on board,” said Sudayana.
Search and Rescue efforts continue.
Last Updated 6:00 pm WITA on Sunday, 13 September 2026
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