Intense Search Continues for Missing Ferry Passengers
GILIMANUK, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities are ramping up efforts to locate 30 individuals still unaccounted for following the tragic sinking of a ferry near Bali. The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry went down shortly after departing from East Java on Wednesday night, prompting a large-scale search operation that has now entered its second day.
Rescue Operations Underway Amid Challenging Conditions
As the search for survivors continues, over 160 rescuers, including police and military personnel, are engaged in the operation. The National Search and Rescue Agency’s deputy chief of operations, Ribut Eko Suyatno, reported that the search was temporarily halted overnight due to poor visibility but resumed on Friday morning. The operation now includes three helicopters and a thermal drone surveying the Bali Strait from the air, while approximately 20 vessels and fishing boats are scouring the waters below.
Despite the challenging weather conditions, which are expected to bring high waves and rough seas, at least three navy ships have been deployed to assist in the search. Videos and images released by the agency show rescuers desperately searching the waters, but as of Friday afternoon, no new survivors or bodies have been recovered. Suyatno stated that divers are on standby and ready to be deployed if conditions improve.
The ferry sank nearly half an hour after leaving Ketapang port, en route to Gilimanuk port, covering a distance of about 5 kilometers (3 miles). The agency has confirmed the identities of 29 survivors and six deceased individuals, while the passenger manifest indicates that 30 people remain missing. Survivors are currently receiving treatment at Bali’s Jembrana Regional Hospital, and the bodies of the deceased have been returned to their families for burial. Meanwhile, anxious relatives have gathered at the port office in Gilimanuk, awaiting news of their loved ones.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the ferry’s sinking. Some survivors reported a possible leak in the engine room, while others, like survivor Bejo Santoso, attribute the tragedy to high waves and strong currents. Santoso recounted how the ferry was struck by large waves, causing it to tilt and ultimately capsize within minutes. He described the chaos as vehicles toppled over, and passengers struggled to access life jackets. Although many life jackets were available, only those on the outer deck managed to reach them in time. Santoso himself used a life jacket as a flotation device for hours until he was rescued by a fisherman.
Ferry accidents are not uncommon in Indonesia, where safety regulations are often inadequately enforced. Previous incidents include a 2023 capsizing off Sulawesi that claimed 15 lives, and a 2021 ferry sinking near Bali that resulted in seven deaths and 11 missing. The country has a history of maritime disasters, with one of the worst occurring in 1999 when an overcrowded passenger ship sank, leaving only 20 survivors out of 332 passengers.
