The body of an approximately twelve-year-old girl appeared a nautical mile from the area where contact with the ship Putri Sakinah was lost, the Antara news agency reported, citing those responsible for the rescue operation in Indonesia. This discovery represents an important step forward in the search for the missing after the shipwreck near Padar Island in Komodo National Park, an Indonesian tourist destination frequently visited by European citizens and where a search is currently underway for three more missing people.
As Antara news agency reported, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency announced the discovery of the body on the first day authorities decided to expand the search area. The body, tentatively identified as that of a girl traveling with a Spanish family, was found thanks to the cooperation of local residents who alerted the joint search team after observing the body in waters near Padar in East Nusa Tenggara Province.
The facility transferred the body to Komodo Regional Hospital where appropriate forensic identification was carried out. Relatives of the alleged victim attended the trial and followed the protocols to scientifically and officially establish his identity. The head of Maumere’s office, Fathur Rahman, said the location of the body was about a nautical mile from where the sinking is believed to have occurred.
According to the head of the Sub-Directorate of Operations of the same office, Asfan Dulhasan, quoted by Antara News, the rescue team will maintain operations throughout the week since three of the passengers have not yet been found, including the coach of Valencia CF Femenino B, Fernando Martín, 44 years old. The other missing people are a son of Martín and a younger son of his partner Andrea Ortuño, who managed to survive after the event with another of his daughters.
The Putri Sakinah was carrying a Spanish family who had traveled to Indonesia on holiday. The Asian country, known for its natural parks and island landscapes, has increased its popularity among tourists from Europe in recent years, according to the Antara news agency.
The causes of the sinking have been linked to meteorological factors. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) attributed the incident to strong waves caused by adverse weather conditions. According to local authorities gathered from the media, the boat’s engine would have lost power shortly before colliding with a series of waves that triggered the shipwreck.
The search for survivors and victims is being carried out as part of a joint operation involving Indonesian rescue workers, local officials and the cooperation of local residents. Authorities expanded the tracking area after considering the possibility of bodies shifting due to the effects of ocean currents and the prevailing climate in the region of the shipwreck.
The episode joins a series of similar events recorded on maritime routes in Indonesia, where meteorological variables and navigation conditions in areas of high tourist traffic can pose additional risks. As published by Antara News, rescue operations will continue to focus on both the search for missing people and the collection of information that will clarify the details of the incident and the response of security and rescue systems to emergencies in these areas.
The Ortuño-Martín family had embarked on the Putri Sakinah as they passed through Labuan Bajo, one of the access points to Komodo National Park, known for being home to large monitor lizard populations and natural landscapes that are one of the country’s main attractions. The boat sank in an area characterized by its geographical complexity and the presence of currents, a circumstance that Indonesian authorities take into account in their assessment and the deployment of rescue teams.
The development of the operation continues to be monitored by Indonesian emergency teams, who are maintaining coordination with Spanish diplomatic authorities and monitoring relatives on the ground, Antara News reports.
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