Basarnas Deploys 15 Air and Sea Assets to Hunt for 130 Missing in Java Sea Vessel Accident

BANJARMASIN, Investortrust.id — The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has deployed an armada of 15 maritime and aerial assets to scour the Java Sea for 130 passengers still missing after the Virgo Transport 8 passenger vessel met with disaster on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026.

The emergency deployment marshals 11 sea vessels, one helicopter, and three fixed-wing aircraft across active search grids.

Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii outlined the massive inter-agency mobilization during an emergency press briefing at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin. Maritime assets include dedicated Basarnas rescue vessels dispatched from regional stations in Banjarmasin, Surabaya, and Makassar, supported by four Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) warships (KRI) steaming toward the coordinates.

"Maritime elements—Basarnas ships stationed in Banjarmasin, Surabaya, and Makassar—have been directed toward the incident coordinates," Syafii stated.

The Java Sea serves as one of Southeast Asia's busiest inter-island maritime arteries, linking industrial centers in Java with resource corridors across Kalimantan. Rapid mobilization across military, civil, and commercial vessels under international search-and-rescue protocols is critical to maximizing survival windows after open-water sinkings, especially when vessels lose contact during severe nighttime weather.

Air Surveillance and Expanded Search Grid

Aerial sweeps are being conducted with direct aircraft support from the Indonesian Navy's Squadron 400 in Surabaya, a specialized CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft, a National Police helicopter, and a Caravan aircraft deployed by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

Commercial and cargo vessels transiting the corridor have also joined the search after the Basarnas Command Center broadcast an emergency alert across the Java Sea, directing ships in the vicinity to render immediate assistance. Syafii emphasized that all operations adhere strictly to International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards under centralized Basarnas coordination.

The maritime operation is mirrored on shore by coordinated logistical teams drawing personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police (Polri), and line ministries.

Lost Contact in Rough Waters

The passenger vessel, which was carrying 243 people from Surabaya toward Banjarmasin, lost communication in the Java Sea at around 2:00 a.m. Central Indonesian Time (WITA) on Sunday after encountering extreme weather.

Search and rescue authorities in Banjarmasin received the initial emergency notification from operator PT Virgo at 4:10 a.m. WITA. The ship's last recorded position was plotted at coordinates 4°31'51.82"S and 114°2'6.88"E, approximately 80 nautical miles off the Basirih SAR Pier in Banjarmasin.

Early rescue efforts by commercial vessels in the area brought the first wave of survivors to safety. Tugboat TB Mauhaw IX pulled 16 individuals from the sea—15 survivors and one deceased victim—while TB TCP rescued 38 people, including 33 survivors and five deceased. Cargo ship MV Haida rescued 49 passengers, all alive.

In the latest operational update Sunday evening, the joint SAR team confirmed that 113 people have been evacuated, comprising 107 survivors and six confirmed dead, leaving search teams focused on tracking down the remaining 130 passengers.

Survivors rescued by TB Mauhaw IX are being transferred to Tuban Port in East Java, while 87 passengers evacuated by TB TCP and MV Haida are being transported to Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin for medical screening and identification.