Wuring Father and Son Found Adrift After Losing Contact on Selayar Voyage

Maumere — Two fishermen from Wuring in Sikka regency, East Nusa Tenggara, who were reported missing during a voyage to Karumpa Island in South Sulawesi’s Selayar Islands on 20 September 2026, were later found alive at sea the same day, according to search and rescue officials and local media.

Florespedia.id reported that Ahmad Junaidi, 55, and his son Jiar Junaidi Mendome, 16, departed Wuring Port on Friday, 18 September 2026, at about 2:05 p.m. WITA, heading toward Karumpa Island in the Selayar Islands. The men, residents of Kampung Wuring in Wolomarang urban village, Alok Barat district, were expected to arrive at their destination at around 10 p.m. WITA.

According to the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, quoted by Florespedia.id and other outlets, the last phone contact with the pair took place at about 4:10 p.m. WITA on 18 September. In that call, their position was reported in waters around Palue Island, north of Sikka. After the communication ended, their telephone numbers could no longer be reached.

The families reported the loss of contact to the Maumere SAR Office on Saturday, 19 September, at approximately 4:50 p.m. WITA, prompting an official search and rescue operation. On Sunday, 20 September, the operation entered its second day with no confirmed sighting of the fishermen or their vessel reported in the morning.

Search operation

The Maumere SAR Office deployed the KN SAR Puntadewa 250 search and rescue vessel and a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) with a joint SAR team to comb the seas between Sikka and the Selayar Islands. The operation involved coordination with the Maumere Shipping Radio Operations Service, fishermen around Palue and other islands in Sikka, and fishermen near Madu and Karumpa islands in the Selayar Islands.

According to reports citing Maumere SAR chief Fathur Rahman, the joint team included Maumere SAR rescuers, the crew of KN SAR Puntadewa 250, personnel from the East Nusa Tenggara Water and Air Police Directorate, Maumere Naval Base, Sikka Water Police, the Maumere shipping radio service, local fishermen from Sikka and Karumpa, and family members of the missing men.

Florespedia.id and other outlets quoted Fathur as saying that the team would continue searching using available resources and was focusing on areas around Palue and the route toward Karumpa. At the time of that statement, there was no confirmation that the men had reached waters off Selayar or arrived at Karumpa Island.

Fishermen found adrift, operation closed

Later on Sunday, 20 September, a joint SAR team aboard KN SAR Puntadewa 250 and the Maumere SAR RIB located a small vessel with two occupants drifting between Sukun and Palue islands, roughly 33 nautical miles from Wuring Port. Local media identified the occupants as Ahmad Junaidi and his son Jiar, confirming that both were alive but reportedly weak and dehydrated after being adrift.

After being evacuated from their vessel, the pair were transported back to Wuring Port and handed over to their families. Following their rescue, the Maumere Search and Rescue Office declared the search and rescue operation completed and closed on 20 September 2026.

Key reported details

• Departure: Wuring Port, Sikka, Friday, 18 September 2026, at about 2:05 p.m. WITA.
• Last contact before distress: About 4:10 p.m. WITA near Palue waters, according to the SAR coordinator.
• Family report to SAR: Saturday, 19 September 2026, at around 4:50 p.m. WITA.
• Search status: Operation in its second day on Sunday morning, 20 September 2026.
• Outcome: Both fishermen found adrift between Sukun and Palue islands and returned safely to Wuring Port on 20 September 2026; the SAR operation was then closed.

Sources

• iNews TTU
• Viva NTT
• Florespedia.id