Ambon Basarnas Stop Searches For Passengers Falling From Fast Boats After 7 Days Of Searching

The Ambon Basarnas Search and Rescue Office, Maluku stopped the search for Latifa Sunet (65)/DOK ANTARA

AMBON - The Ambon Basarnas Search and Rescue Office, Maluku, has stopped a search operation for one passenger who crashed from a fast boat in the waters after seven days of searching and found no sign of the victim's whereabouts.

"Latika Sunet, a 65-year-old woman, was officially declared missing after a week of search operations carried out," said Head of the Ambon Basarnas Search and Rescue Office Muhamad Arafah in Ambon, Antara, Sunday, March 2.

The victim is known to have fallen from KM Barcelona while crossing the waters of Tanjung Alang, Central Maluku Regency on February 24, 2022. Search efforts on the seventh day were still carried out from morning to evening, but still did not find any signs of the victim's whereabouts.

"After we coordinated together, the family accepted this disaster and thanked the Joint SAR Team for trying hard to search for this week," he said.

With the discovery of the victim, the SAR operation is declared complete and closed and all elements of the SAR potential involved are returned to their respective units.

Latifa Sunet reportedly fell into the sea from the motorboat while sailing from Sanana, North Maluku Province to Ambon City, Maluku.

The unfortunate accident occurred when KM Barcelona passed around the waters of Tanjung Alang and at that time at 05.58 WIT the victim jumped into the sea.

Initially, the fast boat had turned several times to search but did not find any victims.

In the morning at around 08.20 WIT, the Ambon Basarnas received information about the sea accident from the Ambon Beach Radio Station (SROP) and then deployed a unit of RBB to the location for the search for victims.