KM Yukai Sinks After Striking Coral Near Labuan Bajo
KM Yukai struck shallow coral near Labuan Bajo on September 27, 2026. Reports said 13 tourists and six crew were evacuated safely without deaths or injuries.
By Pandi Muktar
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Labuan Bajo — The tourist vessel KM Yukai struck shallow coral and sank in waters off Tanjung Sture, Labuan Bajo, Manggarai Barat, at about 06.30 WITA (UTC+8) on Sunday, September 27, 2026, according to reports citing local maritime police.
The vessel was carrying 13 tourist passengers and six crew members. All 19 people were evacuated safely, and reports said there were no deaths or injuries.
The incident occurred while KM Yukai was travelling from the mooring area off Pulau Kelapa towards Pulau Bidadari for a snorkelling trip. The vessel suffered severe leakage and listed heavily after hitting a shallow coral formation, according to VIVA NTT and Detikcom.
Police said nearby tourist boats helped evacuate those aboard, while a joint rescue team responded with six vessels. The evacuees reached the dock safely at 08.15 WITA (UTC+8).
Why the incident matters to Komodo-route travellers
The incident involved a tourist vessel operating on a route linking Labuan Bajo with nearby islands in the Komodo area. Its safe evacuation provides the immediate outcome for passengers, while the differing reports about the vessel’s condition and the passenger manifest show that operational details were still developing on the day of the incident.
VIVA NTT reported that the vessel was a semi-phinisi and that the 19 people comprised 13 tourist passengers and six crew. Detikcom reported that the passenger group included seven foreign tourists and six domestic tourists.
A separate report cited the Class III Labuan Bajo Harbourmaster and Port Authority, known as KSOP, as saying the vessel had struck shallow coral and was being towed towards Pulau Kelapa to be refloated. That report described the passenger total as 13 in accordance with the manifest.
The reported rescue operation was completed without reported deaths or injuries. The reports did not state a confirmed cause beyond the vessel striking shallow coral.
Sources
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