September 16, 2026 | 09:16 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Malaysian government, through its embassy in Jakarta, has expressed its condolences regarding the sinking of the KMP Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea, Indonesia, an incident that affected hundreds of passengers.
These condolences were conveyed by the Chargé d'Affaires ad Interim of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, Farzamie Zarkawi, at the beginning of his remarks during the Malaysia Day celebration on Tuesday evening.
"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," said Farzamie in Jakarta.
He also expressed his hope that the rescue operations for all those involved in the sinking would proceed smoothly to completion.
"We hope that all search and rescue efforts currently underway will be facilitated by Allah SWT," said the Chargé d'Affaires.
The passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 reportedly lost contact in the waters of Masalembo, Java Sea, on Sunday (Sept 13) at approximately 02:00 WITA (Central Indonesian Time) before it was subsequently confirmed to have sunk.
The ill-fated vessel, carrying 243 passengers and crew, sank while en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, a journey that began on Saturday (Sept 12).
As of Tuesday (Sept 15) at 22:00 WITA, the Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Mohammad Syafii, confirmed that 114 victims had been located—comprising 108 survivors and six fatalities—leaving 129 people still missing out of the total 243 on board.
All 114 located victims—the 108 survivors and the six deceased—have been evacuated to Banjarmasin. Meanwhile, the South Kalimantan Regional Police's Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team has successfully identified all six fatalities recovered so far from the sinking of the KMP Virgo Transport 8.
The five victims identified today are Nurul Rian Hidayat (from Pamekasan), Deny Ridzal Saputra (from Kediri), Imam Soeparno (from Surabaya), Erick Maisul Latif (from Garut), and Risyan Kurnia Putra (from Garut).
Previously, on Monday (September 14), the DVI team had identified a fatality named Reyner Fausta Yosilianto (from Malang).
Read: Basarnas Defends Virgo Transport 8 SAR Strategy as Internationally Compliant
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Malaysian Deputy PM Zahid to Visit Indonesia: What's on the Agenda?
43 menit lalu
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will attend an international halal forum during his visit to Indonesia.
Who Is the Police Officer Reported by Malaysian National for Fraud?
19 jam lalu
A police officer has been reported for alleged gold mining business fraud. The reporter is a foreign national from Malaysia.
Ringgit at a 10-Month Low Against Singdollar: What's Behind the Drop?
5 hari lalu
The Malaysian ringgit fell to a 10-month low against the Singapore dollar on September 9, reaching 3.22 per Singapore dollar.
5 Baby Orangutans Found in Indian Forest: What It Means for Indonesia
5 hari lalu
Five baby orangutans were found abandoned in the Bichitrapur Casuarina Forest in India, sparking concerns about animal trafficking network.
Indonesia Yet to Respond to Malaysia's Wildfire Aid Offer
6 hari lalu
Malaysia is ready to help Indonesia fight wildfires, but Jakarta has yet to approve the deployment of Malaysian firefighting assets.
Anwar Ibrahim Urges ASEAN Review of Transboundary Haze Rules
7 hari lalu
Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim calls on ASEAN to review its transboundary haze mechanism as hazardous air pollution impacts public health in Sarawak.
Malaysia Lifts Haze Emergency in Sarawak, but Poor Air Quality Persists
7 hari lalu
Malaysia lifts a haze emergency in Sarawak after air quality improves, but officials warn pollution remains very unhealthy amid fires in Indonesia.
Fact Check: Did Malaysia Deploy an Aircraft to Fight Sumatra Fires in 2026?
8 hari lalu
Fact Check - A Malaysian aircraft shown fighting fires in Sumatra was deployed in 2015, not 2026, contrary to viral social media claims.
Indonesia, Malaysia Police Step Up Fight Against Cross-Border Drug Trafficking
8 hari lalu
Indonesia & Malaysia police agree to boost intelligence sharing & joint enforcement to tackle transnational drug trafficking along their shared border
Jokowi Calls for 'UN 2.0' at Penang Peace Dialogue
9 hari lalu
Former Indonesian President Jokowi called for building a "UN 2.0" during his keynote speech at the Penang Peace Dialogue.
