In Indonesia, search and rescue operations for the capsized ferry KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea entered their seventh day on September 19, 2026. Authorities report 117 confirmed victims — 108 survivors and 9 fatalities — while 126 people remain missing from the 243 listed on the manifest. The operation now covers over 6,200 square nautical miles with a helicopter kept ready for evacuations, turning the incident into one of the country’s most serious recent maritime safety crises.
As of September 19, 2026, Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency Basarnas confirmed that operations to locate passengers and crew from the ferry KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea have continued for seven days. According to officials, 117 victims have been verified: 108 people have been rescued alive and 9 bodies recovered, while 126 individuals are still missing based on a manifest listing 243 people on board. The vessel was sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it encountered severe weather, lost contact around 2 a.m. on September 13, and was later found capsized in Masalembo waters. To support the operation, a helicopter has been kept on standby in Trisakti Port for possible evacuations, and maritime assets have located about nine liferafts, some drifting ashore and others near the wreck site.
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