Indonesia’s national search agency has confirmed that 12 people have died and 23 remain missing following the sinking of the KM Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry in the Bali Strait, with underwater searches continuing despite strong currents and worsening weather.
The ferry was carrying 65 people—53 passengers and 12 crew—when it departed Ketapang Port in East Java just before 23:00 on 2 July. It sank less than an hour later, midway through the short crossing to Bali’s Gilimanuk Port. As of Thursday morning, 30 people have been rescued alive and 12 bodies have been recovered, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
The latest two bodies were retrieved on Thursday, 10 June 2025, including one identified as Putu Mertayasa, a resident of Buleleng, Bali. The remaining 23 people are still unaccounted for.
Search hampered by rough seas and poor visibility
Rescue efforts have faced persistent setbacks due to bad weather in the Bali Strait. Strong currents, high waves reaching up to 2,5 meters, and thick fog repeatedly forced the temporary suspension of sea and air searches.
On Friday, Basarnas halted operations in the evening as visibility dropped to 3 kilometers, down from 10 kilometers the previous day. The search resumed the following morning but continued to be affected by unstable conditions.
Three helicopters, more than 20 vessels, and over 160 personnel were deployed in the search, including navy ships, divers, and local fishing boats. An underwater camera deployed by the Indonesian Navy managed to capture images of debris at depths of up to 49 meters before it was swept away by currents.
“We are dealing with unpredictable weather and limited underwater visibility,” said R. Eko Suyatno, Deputy for Operations and Preparedness at Basarnas. “But the search continues.”
Survivors recall rapid sinking
Survivors have described how quickly the ferry capsized, giving many on board little time to react. Bejo Santoso, a passenger who survived by clinging to a life jacket, said the ferry leaned heavily to one side before water rushed in. Within minutes, vehicles tumbled and the vessel went down.
“There wasn’t enough time for the crew to give instructions,” Bejo told local media.
Bejo and a small group of survivors spent over six hours in open water before being rescued by a fisherman at dawn. One man in their group died after hours in the sea.
Other passengers were less fortunate. Bejo had helped a mother and her 3-year-old son onto the ferry earlier that night. The two were later confirmed among the dead after being found in the water by rescue teams.
Another survivor, 22-year-old Nanda Sinta, said she could not swim but followed friends into the water when the boat began to sink. The trio managed to climb into a crowded lifeboat and floated through the night, scooping out water by hand to stay afloat.
Concerns over unlisted passengers
Although the official manifest lists 65 passengers and crew, survivors and local officials have raised concerns that the true number onboard may be higher. It is widely known that some passengers bypass ticketing procedures by boarding through informal arrangements with crew or port workers.
Among those not listed on the manifest were Bejo himself and the mother and child he had spoken to shortly before the ferry departed.
A history of maritime disasters
The sinking of KM Tunu Pratama Jaya adds to a grim record of ferry accidents in Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17.000 islands where maritime transport is essential but often poorly regulated.
In the past decade, ferry disasters have claimed dozens of lives across the country—from Bali to Sulawesi to North Sumatra—frequently due to overloading, poor maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety protocols.
As of Thursday evening, the search operation remains active, with teams working against strong currents and limited visibility to locate the 23 people still missing.
