Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Sjamsudin Noor Air Base in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, served as an air evacuation point on Tuesday for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8 ferry, which sank in the Java Sea.
“Four dead victims were evacuated today from a vessel near the accident site and flown to Sjamsudin Noor Air Base,” Air Base Commander Col. Hilman L.P. Ambarita said in Banjarbaru.
The four body bags arrived at the air base in separate helicopter flights.
Basarnas’ Dauphin HR 3601 helicopter was the first to land at about 11:25 a.m. local time, carrying two body bags.
About 30 minutes later, a police helicopter arrived at 11:54 a.m., carrying two more body bags.
The four victims had been aboard the tugboat KM TB TCB, which was being used as a support vessel near the Virgo Transport 8 accident site.
Upon arrival at Sjamsudin Noor Air Base, the victims were quickly and systematically transferred from the helicopters.
The four body bags were transferred to ambulances and taken to Bhayangkara Hospital in Banjarmasin.
At the hospital, police DVI teams will examine the bodies and conduct identification procedures to confirm each victim’s identity.
Ambarita said air evacuation efforts on the third day of the search-and-rescue operation focused on transporting dead victims from the support vessel to medical facilities ashore.
Each victim arriving at Sjamsudin Noor Air Base immediately received initial medical attention before being handed over to relevant authorities for identification and further handling.
The support was part of Sjamsudin Noor Air Base’s role in the search-and-rescue operation for the Virgo Transport 8 accident.
“Besides supporting air operations, Sjamsudin Noor Air Base is an important point for receiving and evacuating victims found in the Java Sea,” he said.
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Translator: Firman, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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