Malaysia Expresses Condolences Over Indonesia’s Virgo Transport 8 Sinking
Malaysia Offers Condolences as Search Continues After Virgo Transport 8 Disaster
Kabarsaji.com – Malaysia has conveyed sympathy to Indonesia following the sinking of the KMP Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea, a maritime disaster involving 243 passengers and crew members. The vessel was travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when it went down after losing contact near the Masalembo waters.
The message was delivered by Farzamie Zarkawi, Chargé d'Affaires ad Interim at the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, during Malaysia Day celebrations on Tuesday evening. His remarks addressed the Indonesian government, the public, and families whose relatives were caught up in the incident.
"I extend my sympathy and condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly to the families affected by the sinking of the passenger ship in the Java Sea on September 13, 2026," Farzamie said in Jakarta.
He also voiced hope for the teams still conducting the search and rescue mission, which remains focused on locating those who have not yet been found.
"We hope that all search and rescue efforts currently underway will be facilitated by Allah SWT," he said.
Journey Ended in the Java Sea
The Virgo Transport 8 left Surabaya on Saturday, September 12, bound for Banjarmasin. The ship was later declared missing after contact was lost at roughly 02:00 WITA on Sunday, September 13, in waters near Masalembo in the Java Sea. It was subsequently confirmed that the passenger vessel had sunk.
The route connected Surabaya, one of East Java’s principal coastal cities, with Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. The scale of the emergency reflects the number of people aboard: 243 passengers and crew members were on the ship during the voyage.
By 22:00 WITA on Tuesday, September 15, National Search and Rescue Agency chief Mohammad Syafii confirmed that rescuers had located 114 people. That total included 108 survivors and six people who died. With 243 individuals listed aboard the vessel, 129 people were still unaccounted for at that time.
All 114 victims who had been located, including the survivors and the deceased, were evacuated to Banjarmasin. The transfer placed those rescued and the recovered victims in the destination city while the wider operation continued in the Java Sea.
Victims Identified in Banjarmasin
The Disaster Victim Identification team of the South Kalimantan Regional Police completed the identification of all six fatalities recovered from the sinking up to that point. The identification process is an important step for families awaiting certainty about loved ones and for authorities handling the aftermath of the disaster.
Five of the victims identified on Tuesday were Nurul Rian Hidayat of Pamekasan, Deny Ridzal Saputra of Kediri, Imam Soeparno of Surabaya, Erick Maisul Latif of Garut, and Risyan Kurnia Putra of Garut.
One victim had been identified a day earlier, on Monday, September 14: Reyner Fausta Yosilianto of Malang. Together, the six names account for every fatality identified by the DVI team as of Tuesday night.
For relatives, the confirmed identifications provide an official answer amid a rescue effort that still involves a substantial number of missing people. The figures also underline that the incident is not only a maritime emergency but a crisis affecting families in multiple Indonesian regions, from East Java to West Java.
Focus Remains on Missing Passengers and Crew
The immediate priority remains the search for the 129 people who had not been located as of the latest update. Rescue efforts are being carried out following the ship’s disappearance and sinking near Masalembo, an area of the Java Sea lying along the passage between the departure point in Surabaya and the destination in Banjarmasin.
Search operations in such incidents depend on continued coordination as teams seek survivors, recover victims, and clarify the fate of everyone aboard. The confirmed evacuation of survivors to Banjarmasin means that the rescue operation has already brought many people to safety, but the missing-person count shows the task is far from finished.
Malaysia’s statement added a regional note of solidarity during a difficult period for Indonesia. The embassy’s condolences recognized both the national impact of the sinking and the personal loss faced by affected families.
The disaster has drawn attention to the human dimension behind the official numbers. Each update changes the situation for relatives waiting for news: survivors offer relief, identifications bring painful confirmation, and those still missing remain at the center of the continuing search.
Authorities had located 108 survivors by Tuesday night, demonstrating that rescue crews were able to reach a significant number of those on the ship. At the same time, the six confirmed deaths and 129 missing people highlight the severe consequences of the sinking.
A Continuing Humanitarian Emergency
As the operation proceeds, the latest verified totals remain 243 people aboard, 114 located, 108 rescued alive, six fatalities, and 129 missing. Those figures may change as search teams continue their work and further information becomes available.
The response now carries several parallel responsibilities: finding the missing, supporting survivors, ensuring that families receive accurate identification information, and maintaining the rescue effort until it can be brought to completion. Malaysia’s message of condolence reflected the shared concern surrounding those efforts and the hope that all remaining victims can be found.
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