Bali ferry mishap - Search re-extended, 18 missing

Banyuwangi, E Java (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) announced, Friday evening, the second extension of search period for three days from Saturday, as 18 victims remain missing after Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry sank on July 2.

The agency decided to extend the search period for humanitarian reasons until Monday, July 14, following the first extension of the search period, also set for three days, which ended on July 11, a Basarnas top officer remarked.

Deputy for Search and Rescue Operations and Preparedness at the agency, Ribut Eko Suyanto, told journalists at Ketapang Port, Bayuwangi District, East Java, that his office would reevaluate whether another extension of the search period is necessary later.

During Friday's search operations, two more bodies of men, believed to be passengers from the sunken ferry, were recovered in the southern area off Bali Island, where the vessel was first reported sinking, he stated.

The rescue workers had evacuated the deceased to Blambangan Public Hospital in Banyuwangi District, East Java, for identification, he added.

As reported earlier, the East Java police's disaster victim identification (DVI) team disclosed that a Malaysian national was confirmed to be among the victims in the Tunu Pramata Jaya ferry disaster.

The deceased was identified as Fauzey Bin Awang, 58, based on the DVI team's medical examination and the victim's wallet and identity card.

As of Friday evening, the 10th day of search operations, the death toll from the ferry mishap stood at 17, with 30 survivors and 18 people still missing.

Local SAR coordinator Wahyu Setia Budi earlier stated that the roll-on/roll-off ferry was carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles when it departed Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, East Java, at 10:56 p.m. local time on July 2, 2025.

The vessel sank en route to Gilimanuk Port in Bali at around 11:35 p.m. local time on the same day.

In response to the tragedy, President Prabowo Subianto has directed all relevant government agencies to leave no stone unturned in rescuing the remaining passengers and crew of the ill-fated ferry.