inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Indonesian National Police (INP) explained that the handling of the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident has now been transferred from the South Kalimantan Regional Police to the INP Directorate of the Water and Air Unit Corps for further processing.
The Head of the INP Public Relations Division, Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir, stated that the transfer is part of the ongoing case handling process, which has been carried out professionally with relevant stakeholders from the beginning. INP have provided assistance from the outset in supporting search and rescue operations, evacuation, victim identification, and law enforcement.
"Since the incident began, we, along with Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency), the Indonesian National Military (TNI), and relevant stakeholders have implemented integrated mitigation and response measures, supporting search and rescue operations, evacuation, providing services to victims and their families, and conducting the investigation. The case has now been handed over to the INP Directorate of the Water and Air Unit Corps for follow-up in accordance with applicable regulations," Johnny said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday (9/28/2026).
Prior to the transfer, the South Kalimantan Regional Police conducted a series of investigations and in-depth interviews with parties involved in the incident. The examinations included the captain, the surviving crew members, and other relevant parties.
"The investigation and inquiry were conducted professionally, involving and coordinating with relevant stakeholders, so that every fact discovered can be part of the case handling process in accordance with applicable legal provisions," he explained.
Meanwhile, the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 is still ongoing, carried out by a joint SAR team involving Basarnas, TNI, INP, local governments, and other relevant agencies. As of September 28, 2026, the joint SAR team had recovered 174 of the 243 people listed in the manifest. Of these, 108 were found safe, 66 died, and 69 are still missing.
In the search and recovery process, INP provided support through ship and air support, as well as the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team. The DVI team worked with relevant agencies to identify the deceased by matching ante-mortem data from families with post-mortem data.
Johnny stated that the care of the victims and their families is a shared concern for all stakeholders involved in the operation. INP expressed their empathy and condolences to the victims' families and continued to provide services and support during the search and identification process.
The joint SAR operation is currently conducting sweeps and searches in several waters and coastal areas within the operational area. Meanwhile, the legal process that has been delegated to the INP Directorate of the Water and Air Unit Corps continues to be carried out to investigate the facts and evidence related to the KM Virgo Transport 8 accident.
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