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Indonesian Police Investigate Captain of Lost Ferry Virgo Transport 8

As search and recovery effort continues on scene, the death toll has risen to 78 people

Salvage divers prepare to start another search at the wreck site (Basarnas)
Salvage divers prepare to start another search for remains at the wreck site (Basarnas)

Published Oct 1, 2026 4:37 PM by The Maritime Executive

Police in Indonesia are formally investigating the master of the Virgo Transport 8, the ferry that capsized in the Java Sea last month with the loss of dozens of lives. 

Local police in South Kalimantan initially handled the case, and the captain remains in detention in their care. Responsibility for the criminal investigation has been passed up to the National Police's Water Police Directorate for further work. At this stage, the inquiry is still preliminary - involving interviews and event sequence reconstruction - and the police are determining who (if anyone) may be accused of wrongdoing, an officer told Jakarta Globe. 

On Sept. 30, the 18th day of search operations, divers and shoreside beach teams recovered another four bodies, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 78 people. Many have been retrieved from inside the wreck in difficult conditions, including five who were found on the 17th day of the search (Sept. 29). 57 remain missing and the effort to locate them continues. 

Of the recovered victims, 27 have yet to be identified. As the search period extends into weeks, not just days, the condition of the recovered bodies is deteriorating, making the operation more challenging. The wreck is itself upside down, creating a disorienting environment, and there are powerful prevailing currents at the wreck site - an inherent hazard for diving.