Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Police helicopter P-3103 arrived at Sjamsudin Noor Air Base in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday carrying two bodies recovered from the sinking of the KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea.
“The bodies were taken directly to Bhayangkara Hospital for identification,” South Kalimantan Police Spokesman Senior Commissioner Nur Khamid said in Banjarbaru.
The police helicopter had earlier assisted joint search and rescue teams in searching for victims of the Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea.
Joint search and rescue teams found the two victims, who were then evacuated by air to speed up the process, he said.
Khamid urged the victims’ families to remain patient while authorities complete the identification process to confirm their identities.
He said it was important that families had provided the necessary information for the post-mortem and ante-mortem processes.
The information would help the South Kalimantan Police Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team identify the bodies more quickly, he said.
“For example, if families provide distinctive characteristics of a victim, the identification process can be completed more quickly,” he added.
Related news: Twenty two Virgo Transport 8 survivors evacuated to Banjarmasin
Related news: Five Virgo Transport 8 crew survive using empty LPG cylinder
Translator: Firman, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
Copyright © ANTARA 2026