Rescue teams helping victims of the boat mishap off Indonesia's Padar Island on Dec 26. - Screengrab from Basarnas video via Reuters
JAKARTA: Rescue teams on Sunday (Dec 28) resumed the search for four Spanish nationals missing after a tourist boat sank in rough seas off Indonesia's Padar Island, as tributes poured in from Spain’s football community.
The missing are Fernando Martín Carreras, a coach and former footballer, and three of his children, according to Spanish news agency EFE.
They were aboard the wooden boat KM Putri Sakinah when it sank late Friday on its way to Padar Island from Komodo Island in waters off Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesian authorities said.
Seven people were rescued from the boat, including the children's mother and another child, as well as Indonesian crew members, including the captain, and a local tour guide, according to the local search and rescue agency.
On the second day of the operation, search and rescue teams recovered debris from the vessel about five nautical miles from the site of the sinking, including parts of the hull, a gas cylinder and sections of the captain’s cabin, said Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere search and rescue office.
The search has been hampered by strong currents, heavy rain and waves reaching up to 1.5 metres, he said.
"We are continuing the search despite difficult weather conditions,” said Fathur.
In Spain, Valencia CF confirmed that the missing father, 44, was a coach within its women’s football programme and expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a statement, the club said it was "devastated” by the news and extended condolences and support to the family and those affected.
Spanish media, citing EFE, reported that the three missing children were aged between nine and 12. The family had been on holiday in Indonesia, a destination that has drawn growing numbers of European visitors in recent years.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the sinking was likely caused by ocean swells linked to a tropical weather disturbance known as Cyclone Seed 96S, which formed on Christmas Day south of the country.
While not a full cyclone, the system has generated high waves that can propagate into the waters around Komodo National Park.
Forecasters warned that wave heights in southern waters of the park could reach between 1.25 and 2.5 metres through the end of the year, with sudden increases possible during heavy rain or thunderstorms.
Local officials said the boat lost engine power before being struck by swells and taking on water.
Labuan Bajo, in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, has become a focal point of the government’s tourism drive, serving as the main gateway to Komodo National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site famed for its giant Komodo dragons and dramatic island landscapes.
But the rapid growth of marine tourism has also raised concerns about safety standards and oversight.
Maritime accidents involving tourist vessels occur periodically across the Indonesian archipelago, particularly during the monsoon season, when weather conditions can change quickly. - dpa
