Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A passenger ferry en route to Gilimanuk Port in Bali sank late Wednesday night after reportedly suffering an engine room leak. The vessel, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, departed from Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi at 10:56 p.m. local time and sank roughly 25 minutes after setting sail.
The incident was first spotted by a harbor officer on duty, who promptly reported it to Indonesia’s search and rescue agency (Basarnas) and other relevant authorities. The ferry, operating on the Ketapang–Gilimanuk route, is believed to have sunk due to flooding in the engine room.
According to Bali Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Ariasandy, the ferry had issued a distress signal shortly before capsizing.
“At 12:16 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, while en route from Ketapang to Gilimanuk, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya was heard on Channel 17 issuing a distress call reporting an engine leak,” Ariasandy said in a written statement Thursday.
Three minutes later, at 12:19 a.m., the vessel suffered a complete power outage.
Responding to the alert, a nearby motor vessel attempted to assist but was unable to reach the ferry in time. By then, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya had already capsized and was drifting southward in the Bali Strait.
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According to the vessel’s manifest, the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya was carrying 65 people with 53 passengers and 12 crew members, along with 22 vehicles, including 14 heavy-duty trucks.
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) reported that 31 people have been rescued, four have been confirmed dead, and 30 others remain missing as of the latest update at 11:00 a.m. local time.
“Thirty-one survivors have been found, four fatalities confirmed, and 30 individuals are still unaccounted for,” said Basarnas Chief Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii during a press briefing on Thursday, July 3.
Joint rescue teams are still working to identify the victims. “The identification process is ongoing and is being carried out in coordination with the National Police’s Disaster Victim Identification team (DVI), harbor authorities, and other relevant agencies,” he added.
Search efforts are ongoing, with professional divers and a rescue helicopter deployed to assist in locating the missing across the Bali Strait, where the vessel sank.
(Raidi/Agung)
