Rescuers evacuate 103 passengers of missing vessel in Java Sea

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Rescuers have pulled 102 survivors and one deceased victim from the Java Sea after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger vessel carrying 243 people lost contact early Sunday morning.

Head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office I Putu Sudayana said three nearby commercial vessels located and secured the individuals after responding to the distress situation.

"The total number of passengers successfully evacuated as of 12:00 p.m. Central Indonesian Time (GMT+8) stands at 103," Sudayana said during a press conference here on Sunday.

He noted that the TB Mauhaw IX – also called the MT Mauhau, a tanker vessel operated by PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, a subsidiary of Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina – rescued 15 survivors and recovered one body.

These individuals are currently being transported to Tuban Port in East Java.

Meanwhile, the TB TCP – a tugboat operated by PT Transcoal Pacific Tbk – rescued 38 survivors and the MV Haida — a ship operated by PT Virgo Karya Shipping, the same company operating the missing vessel — pulled another 49 people from the water.

These 87 survivors are being taken to Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

The joint search and rescue team continues to actively search the waters for the 140 people still missing.

In addition to the three commercial ships, the current rescue fleet deployed includes the rescue vessel KN SAR Laksmana, Indonesian warship KRI Nala, and navigation vessel KM Kunyit.

The Virgo Transport 8 lost communication at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time (GMT+8) after encountering severe weather. The ship had departed from Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday (September 12) and was en route to Banjarmasin.

Related news: Banjarmasin hospital on alert after ferry loses contact

Related news: Basarnas launches search for passenger ship carrying 243

Translator: Tumpal Aritonang, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2026