Tourist boat sinks near Tatawa Island; one passenger missing
A tourist phinisi sank near Tatawa Island on 13 October after entering strong currents, prompting a rescue operation for 30 people and a search for one missing passenger.
· 2 min read
Tatawa Island — KM Feronia, a tourist phinisi, sank off Tatawa Island in Manggarai Barat, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, after carrying visitors on a trip in Komodo National Park. Rescue teams evacuated 29 of the 30 people aboard, while one passenger remained missing.
Why it matters: Visitors using Komodo National Park waters face a rescue operation after a tourist boat sank and one passenger remained missing from 13 October.
The vessel was carrying 25 passengers and five crew members, according to Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, as reported by Liputan6 and RRI. The boat departed Marina Labuan Bajo at 8 a.m. for Rinca Island.
At about 2:30 p.m., the vessel entered an area of strong currents near Tatawa, became tilted, overturned and sank. RRI reported that the suspected role of strong currents and bad weather was still under investigation.
Fourteen people were evacuated by the speedboat Red Whale 2 at about 3 p.m., and 29 people had been evacuated by 6 p.m., according to the reported SAR operation. Those rescued included 24 passengers and five crew members.
The missing passenger was identified as Veronica Beatrix Jessica, a 23-year-old Indonesian national. The search was temporarily halted on Tuesday because of limited visibility and strong currents, with authorities scheduled to continue the operation on Wednesday, 14 October, according to the Maumere Search and Rescue Office.
RRI reported that the combined operation involved the West Manggarai SAR post, the Labuan Bajo harbour and port authority, the Labuan Bajo naval base, police and other rescue resources. The vessel was reported to have sunk and was no longer visible at the surface.
What happened
- KM Feronia sank near Tatawa Island on 13 October 2026.
- Twenty-nine of the 30 people aboard were evacuated, while one passenger remained missing.
- The search was due to continue on 14 October after being halted by poor visibility and strong currents.
Sources
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