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Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - GILIMANUK, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities suspended the search for 29 people still missing after a ferry sank off the coast of Bali, citing worsening weather and low visibility that hampered rescue operations.
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
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