September 20, 2026 | 02:00 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several photos claiming to depict the sinking of the motor vessel (KM) Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea have been circulating on social media. The content was uploaded by various Facebook accounts—including Account 1 [archive], Account 2, and Account 3—on September 14, 2026. The photos show a vessel listing heavily and nearly submerged; nearby, inflatable boats and passengers wearing orange life vests are visible, drifting in the open sea.
Are these photos actually related to the sinking of KM Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the photos using reverse image searches, confirmation from credible sources, and AI detection tools. The findings indicate that while the sinking of KM Virgo Transport 8 did indeed occur, the photos circulating on social media were generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
The KM Virgo Transport 8 was reported to have lost contact and capsized in the Java Sea while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin on Sunday, September 13, 2026. A visual comparison with the vessel's official photo on marinetraffic.com reveals that the ship's physical appearance in social media posts differs significantly from the original version.
Photo Verification
An examination of the first image using the Hive Moderation detection tool indicates a confidence level of up to 99.9 percent that the image was created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Testing with the "AI or NOT" tool reinforces these results with a 74 percent probability.
Meanwhile, the analysis of the second image shows an AI-generated indication score of 54.6 percent from Hive Moderation and 99 percent from AI or NOT.
KM Virgo Transport 8 Profile
KM Virgo Transport 8 (IMO number 8625179, MMSI 525110543) is a passenger roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel measuring 119 meters in length and 21 meters in width. It was built in 1987 by the Shin Kurushima Onishi Shipyard in Imabari, Japan.
When it first entered service under PT Virgo Karya Shipping (VKS), the vessel was named Ferry Kurushima and operated on the Matsuyama-Kokura route in Japan. Ownership transferred to Matsuyama Kokura Ferry Co., Ltd. in 2013, and the vessel completed its final voyage in Japan on June 30, 2025, prior to being purchased for operation in Indonesia.
CONCLUSION
The post about the photo of KM Virgo Transport 8 is false. The image was created using artificial intelligence (AI).
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