Prabowo Vows to Investigate Virgo Transport 8 Sinking - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed the Indonesian government's commitment to thoroughly investigating the cause of the KMP Virgo Transport 8 passenger ship accident that occurred in the Java Sea on Sunday, September 13.

Prabowo said the government would investigate the incident to evaluate it and strengthen mitigation efforts, as well as enhance maritime safety.

"We will continue the investigation to determine the cause of the incident, so that in the future we can better mitigate risks and take the best possible measures," said Prabowo during the inauguration of the Jakarta LRT's Kelapa Gading-Manggarai line in Jakarta on Wednesday, as quoted by ANTARA.

According to Prabowo, an investigation is crucial to identify the factors behind the incident and to serve as a basis for the government to implement preventive measures, ensuring that similar events do not recur.

In addition to ensuring the investigation proceeds, Prabowo also conveyed his condolences and prayers to the families affected by the incident. "And we always pray that the bereaved family is granted fortitude and steadfastness," he said.

On the same occasion, Prabowo also stated that the government would continue to pay attention to communities facing various hardships due to disasters in several regions of Indonesia.

He emphasized that all government entities are working together to address various emergencies and challenges. "All levels of government—central, regional, provincial, and regency—as well as all agencies, have proven to work together effectively to face all challenges and difficulties," he concluded.

According to a report by the Ministry of Transportation, KMP Virgo Transport 8 departed from Surabaya Port for Banjarmasin Port on Saturday, September 12, at 06:52 WIB (Western Indonesian Time), carrying 243 people as recorded on the manifest.

Furthermore, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the vessel reported encountering bad weather in the Java Sea at 01:00 WIB on Sunday, September 13, before eventually losing contact.

The government subsequently carried out victim search efforts and underwater operations, while the cause of the accident is still being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).