Indonesia suspends search for 29 missing after Bali ferry sinking due to poor visibility
The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry, carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members, sank late Wednesday only 30 minutes into its short 5-kilometer journey between Ketapang in East Java and Gilimanuk in Bali.
The vessel reportedly went down after rough seas rocked it, causing heavy vehicles to shift and capsize the ferry.
By Friday evening, six deaths had been confirmed, and 30 people rescued — including a male passenger who initially went unreported after returning home without notifying authorities.
The National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) said 29 people remained unaccounted for.
Ribut Eko Suyatno, deputy chief of operations at BASARNAS, said the search was suspended Friday evening after visibility dropped to just 3 kilometers due to heavy fog and waves reaching 2.5 meters.The operation, which had resumed earlier that morning with 160 personnel, three helicopters, thermal drones, and 20 vessels, will resume Saturday morning.'There were strong winds and high waves making the effort dangerous. It's hard to search when you can barely see,' said Suyatno.Emotional scenes unfolded at the port in Gilimanuk and at the Jembrana Regional Hospital, where survivors were treated. Among those grieving was Bintang Nur Hidayat, who lost his wife, Nindi Elly Rosita — just two weeks after their wedding. The couple had been heading to Bali for their honeymoon.'She slipped from my grasp,' he said, sobbing in his father's arms. 'Please forgive me, Nindi.'His father, Achmad, explained that both jumped into the sea together, but the ship's sudden sinking created waves that tore them apart.Survivor Bejo Santoso described terrifying moments as the ferry began to list due to heavy waves and uneven vehicle weight distribution. 'Trucks and cars fell to one side, and within five minutes, it was all over,' he said. 'There was no time for crew instructions.'Santoso, who was traveling alone, clung to a life jacket for over six hours until rescued by a fisherman. He said many onboard were unable to reach life jackets in time.One of his fellow survivors died in the water after four hours, reportedly due to a lung condition and swallowing sea water. The group of three stayed with the body until help arrived.Authorities are investigating the cause of the sinking. Some survivors suggested a possible leak in the engine room, while others pointed to extreme weather and strong currents.The ferry was carrying 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks.Ferry accidents are tragically common in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of over 17,000 islands. In 2018, a ferry overloaded with 200 passengers sank in Lake Toba, killing 167 people. In 2023, 15 people died when a boat capsized off Sulawesi.Despite efforts to tighten safety rules, enforcement remains weak. The government has promised a full inquiry into the Bali incident to determine whether negligence or weather was to blame. — Agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
21-07-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Hundreds rescued after Indonesian ferry catches fire
SINGAPORE — Indonesian rescuers said on Monday that they had evacuated more than 560 people from a passenger ferry that caught fire at sea. Three people were confirmed dead. The KM Barcelona 5 caught fire around midday Sunday while heading to Manado on its regular half-day journey from Melonguane port, according to Manado navy base chief First Admiral Franky Pasuna Sihombing. A coast guard vessel, six rescue ships and several inflatable boats were deployed in the rescue operation, Sihombing said. Many survivors were pulled from the sea and taken to nearby islands. Local fisherman also rescued passengers found drifting in life jackets. Images posted to social media showed passengers jumping into the sea as black smoke and flames engulfed the ferry. The search and rescue operation was continuing, though there were no immediate reports of people still missing. Authorities had previously said that five people had died, but the National Search and Rescue Agency revised this figure on Monday. Two passengers who were initially reported as dead were saved in hospital, including a 2-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater. Officials said the fire that began in the ferry's stern was extinguished within an hour. While the ferry's manifest originally registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, the national rescue agency confirmed 568 survivors. It is common for the number of passengers on a boat or ferry to differ from the manifest in Indonesia. The capacity for the ferry is 600 people. — Euronews
Arab News
21-07-2025
- Arab News
568 people survived after an Indonesian passenger ferry caught fire at sea, killing 3
MANADO, Indonesia: Indonesian rescuers evacuating people from a passenger ferry that caught fire at sea said Monday more than 560 were rescued and three died. The KM Barcelona 5 caught fire around midday Sunday while heading to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, on its regular half-day journey from Melonguane port in Talaud Islands district in the same province, according to First Adm. Franky Pasuna Sihombing, chief of the Manado navy base. A coast guard ship, six rescue vessels and several inflatable boats were deployed in the rescue operation, Sihombing said. The crews pulled many people from the sea and took them to nearby islands, and local fishermen also saved some survivors wearing life jackets as they were drifting in the choppy waters. Photos and videos circulated on social media showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel. There were no immediate reports of injuries and people still missing. Authorities previously said five people had died, but the National Search and Rescue Agency revised it to three early Monday after two passengers initially reported as dead were saved in a hospital, including a 2-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater. The fire that began in the ferry's stern was extinguished within an hour, Sihombing said. The ferry's manifest initially registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew members but the national rescue agency confirmed 568 survivors had been rescued and three bodies recovered, including a pregnant woman. It is common for the number of passengers on a boat or ferry to differ from the manifest in Indonesia. This discrepancy can contribute to accidents and can complicate search and rescue efforts, Sihombing said. Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed. A speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm July 14, and all its occupants were found rescued by the next day. Earlier in the month, a ferry sank near Indonesia's resort island of Bali, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 600 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.
Asharq Al-Awsat
20-07-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Indonesian Passenger Ferry Catches Fire at Sea, Killing at Least 5
A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people caught fire at sea on Sunday off Sulawesi island in Indonesia, killing at least five people, officials said. More than 280 people were rescued and evacuation efforts were ongoing. The KM Barcelona 5 was headed to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud, an island district in the province when it caught fire in waters near Talise, said Vice Adm. Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command, The AP news reported. He said that three navy ships had been deployed, and 284 passengers and crew members had been evacuated so far. The rescue operation included assistance from local fishermen, who saved some survivors wearing life jackets as they were drifting to nearby islands in the choppy waters. Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman. There were no immediate reports of injuries, and no exact figures of passengers and crew members onboard the ferry. 'We are still focusing on evacuation efforts,' Hendrata said, adding that the cause of the fire was being investigated. Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea. Orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel. Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed. Residents of Mentawai Islands found several people stranded on July 14 after a speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm the day before, authorities said. All were in good condition. A ferry sank near Indonesia's resort island of Bali early this month, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 1,000 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.
