Basarnas Extends Search for Valencia Coach Who Drowned in Labuan Bajo

JAKARTA - Basarnas has extended the search operation for one foreign citizen (WNA) from Spain who was a victim of the sinking of the Putri Sakinah Motor Boat in the waters of Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) for the next two days, namely on January 8 - 9, 2026.

Deputy Operations and Preparedness of Basarnas, Edy Prakoso, said the extension of the SAR operation was carried out after the third victim was found on Tuesday (6/1), as well as an official letter requesting an extension of the SAR operation from Bernardo de Sicart Escoda, the Spanish Ambassador to Basarnas.

"So, the SAR team resumed the search starting at 06.30 WITA with a focus on operations around the location of the ship's wreckage," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 7.

In the operation, a total of 168 personnel from various elements were deployed, including Basarnas through the Maumere SAR Office, TNI-Polri, the City Government and the Labuan Bajo Port Authority (KSOP), the Komodo National Park Office, the West Manggarai BPBD, the Labuan Bajo diving community, and other volunteer elements.

In addition to personnel, the joint team also deployed 18 main tools to comb the islands around Labuan Bajo and the waters near Padar Island.

The SAR team from the Directorate of Water Police of the NTT Regional Police deployed underwater equipment in the form of ROV and sonar, including a multibeam sonar from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Bandung and the Kupang Navigation District to detect the whereabouts of the victim.

Edy added that until now the search results for the extension of the operation were still nil and the search efforts continued to be carried out according to the operation plan.

In his letter to Basarnas, he said, the Spanish Embassy expressed its appreciation and gratitude for the hard work, commitment, and maximum efforts of Basarnas and the joint SAR Team, and hoped that the extension of this operation would bear fruit.

The KM Putri Sakinah was involved in an accident while sailing to transport tourists in the waters of the Padar Island Strait, Labuan Bajo, NTT on December 26, 2025.

The ship was carrying 11 passengers consisting of six foreign tourists from Spain, one tour guide, and four crew members.

Of the 11 people on board, seven were rescued. Meanwhile, four others were declared missing, which were the coaches of the Valencia FC B women's football team along with their three children.