SAR Team Searches For Missing Tourist Carriers Around Labengki Island, Southeast Sulawesi

Basarnas looks for a missing ship while delivering tourists to Labengki Island, Thursday (4/5/2023) (ANTARA/HO-Humas Basarnas Kendari)

The Kendari SAR Team conducted a search operation for a ship that was reported missing while escorting tourists to Labengki Island in North Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi.

Acting Head of the Kendari Basarnas Office, Rudi, said that his party received reports of the loss of the tourist delivery ship from one of the victims' families.

"We received information about the disappearance of the ship on Wednesday (3/5) at around 23.37 WITA from Mr. Yusran Tayeb as the victim's family," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, May 4.

After receiving the report, his party rushed to dispatch a rescue team from the Kendari Search and Rescue Office (KPP) to provide SAR assistance.

"The rescue team departed at 23.55 WITA using an RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) to the last location the ship was reported missing to provide SAR assistance. The distance from the incident location from Kendari Basarnas Pier is about 40 nautical miles," said Rudi.

He explained that on Wednesday (3/5) at around 09.15 WITA there were two ships each with four passengers, with details of two from the ship and two local tourists who were about to be escorted to Labengki Island.

The two ships departed from the Nii Tanasa Port in Konawe Regency to Labengki Island, North Konawe Regency, to escort four local tourists by loading two people each on each ship.

Furthermore, at 11.00 WITA, one of the two ships experienced engine failures around the waters between Labengki Island and Bahubulu Island, North Konawe. As a result, two local tourists moved on the other ship to continue their journey to Labengki Island.

While the first ship repaired the engine. After delivering the four local tourists, the second ship returned home and passed through the location of the first ship experienced engine failure.

However, the first ship with two passengers was no longer there, so the first ship continued its journey back to the Nii Tanasa Port.

After the second ship arrived at Nii Tanasa Port, he continued, they did not see the first ship. At that time, a search was carried out but with no results, so the incident was reported to the Kendari Basarnas.

"A search was carried out, until we received this information, we received a search that was carried out with no results. We will convey further developments," said Rudi.

Basarnas said the missing ship passenger was named Sahid (49), a resident of Nii Tanasa Village, Lalonggasumeeto District, Konawe Regency. While one other identity is not yet known, but is a missing ship technician.