The search and rescue operation for the victims of the Virgo Transport 8 ship, which sank on Sunday, has been disrupted due to adverse weather conditions in Lake Java. The ship is located at a depth of 30 meters in the middle of Lake Java, south of Borneo.
Status of the rescue operation
According to published information, 108 out of 243 passengers on the ship have been rescued, and 129 people are still missing. The search operation is continuing extensively and involves 17 ships, 10 aircraft, and over 1,000 personnel who are examining the area.
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Challenges of weather conditions
Diving operations at the sinking site have not yet begun due to severely adverse weather conditions. Wave heights in this area reach about 2.4 meters, which is dangerous for diving. The water depth in this area is suitable for rescue divers, but the position of the ship on the seabed is currently unstable. The commander of the Indonesian search and rescue organization, Mohammad Saifi, stated that the ship was floating upside down on the water and remains in that condition on the seabed, which poses a risk of shifting or capsizing. The Indonesian Navy will assist the search operation with a rescue ship and an underwater robot (ROV) to reduce the risk for human divers.
Impact of weather conditions on the rescue operation
Adverse weather conditions have also affected the transfer and transportation of the rescued individuals. 22 survivors who were rescued by a fishing vessel, Chahya Bahari, have faced delays in returning to port due to difficulties in transferring between ships. Higher than normal waves in Lake Java have increased the risks associated with the rescue operation; for example, two ships collided while attempting to transfer personnel due to wave movements and were damaged. A small boat was used for the transfer, which also contributed to the slow operation. After being transferred from Chahya Bahari to the receiving ship - the KRI Nala destroyer - the survivors were once again transferred to a smaller boat named Kumai, which is capable of entering the small port of Banjarmasin.
Possible cause of the ship's capsizing
Officials believe that the Virgo Transport 8 ship likely capsized after hitting a large wave. Indonesia's Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, announced at a press conference that overloading was likely not a significant factor in this incident. The ship had a capacity of 500 people and had less than half of that number of passengers at the time of capsizing.
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