Indonesian diving teams from the Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) continue their efforts to find the victims of the Virgo Transport 8, which sank off the coast of Indonesia. The ship sank on September 22, 2026, and since then, divers have been searching for its wreckage and the bodies of the victims.
Number of Victims and Searches
So far, 18 bodies of the victims have been recovered, of which 9 have been identified. More than 100 people are still missing and are expected to have been on the sunken ship. The search for victims is facing challenges, including harsh underwater conditions and strong currents.
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Diving Challenges and Environmental Conditions
Efforts at the site of the shipwreck are progressing slowly. Divers have not entered the structure of the ship due to unfavorable underwater conditions and dangers posed by strong currents. This week, the diving team managed to find a body behind the glass of an external window in the ship's hull and broke the glass to retrieve it. More bodies have also been recovered from areas of the ship that appeared to be exposed to the railings.
Basarnas Director, Muhammad Syafi, stated at a press conference last week that the current speed at this particular point in the Java Sea could reach over 6 to 7 knots, which is well above the safety limit for divers.
Future Search Plans
According to reports, the search operation for finding victims will continue on Wednesday if current conditions and weather permit. Additionally, responding agencies are exploring the possibility of righting and reconstructing the ship to facilitate the search, which will be costly and difficult. Currently, the ship is located in relatively shallow waters and is accessible using conventional diving techniques.
Given the existing challenges and the number of missing persons, this operation has become one of the largest rescue efforts in Indonesia's history, and there remains hope for finding other victims.
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