Indonesian rescuers plan to right capsized ship as weather hampers search for 129 missing people
Rescuers will assess equipment to turn the overturned vessel upright, with 129 people still missing and underwater dives halted by 7-knot currents.
- On Thursday, Indonesian rescuers plan to assess methods for righting the capsized KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea to search for 129 missing passengers after the vessel capsized Sunday with 243 people aboard.
- Basarnas Head Mohammad Syafii is involving the ship owner to remove the wreckage under Indonesia's Shipping Law; while regulations allow up to 180 days, officials must accelerate efforts because victim searches remain ongoing.
- Navy divers withdrew from underwater searches Wednesday as currents reached nearly 7 knots, exceeding the 1.5-knot safety threshold; the ship lies around 150 km from Banjarmasin port in approximately 29 metres deep water.
- As of Wednesday, Basarnas confirmed 114 victims found—108 survivors and six fatalities—while salvage operations to upright the vessel are expected to take approximately 24 hours, though complications could extend the timeline.
- Evidence recovered during future dives will be transferred to the National Transportation Safety Committee for investigation; moving the wreckage is critical to supporting ongoing victim evacuation efforts at the earliest opportunity.
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13 Articles
Rescue Mission: Capsized Indonesian Ship Recovery Efforts
Indonesian rescuers plan to upend and salvage a capsized passenger ship in the Java Sea, unsuccessful in all attempts so far due to adverse weather. The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 passengers, of which 129 remain missing. Current weather conditions pose significant challenges to the rescue operation.
Rescuers plan to right ship capsized in Java Sea - Archipelago
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people on a 20-hour voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it capsized in bad weather early on Sunday. Six people died and 108 survived the incident, tallies that have not changed since Sunday.
Indonesian rescuers plan to right capsized ship as weather hampers search for 129 missing people
Indonesian rescuers plan to try to right a passenger ship that capsized in the Java Sea last weekend as persistent strong currents and big waves prevent them from making an underwater search of the overturned vessel for the 129 people still missing.
Basarnas emphasized that, based on the provisions of the Shipping Law, ship owners are responsible for moving or lifting the wreck of an accident ship.
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