Rescue teams have resumed efforts to locate the four missing Spanish citizens, Fernando Martín, Valencia B women’s coach, and three of his children, after the tourist boat in which they were traveling sank off the island of Padar, in Indonesia, where strong currents and bad weather are making the search difficult. At the moment, only remains of the boat have been recovered.
The missing people were aboard the wooden boat KM Putri Sakinah, which capsized late this Friday while heading from the island of Komodo towards Padar, in the waters of Labuan Bajo, province of East Nusa Tenggara, according to local authorities.
So far, seven people have been rescued, including the mother, Andrea Ortuño, and a daughter – also a minor – as well as several members of the Indonesian crew, including the captain and a local tour guide, the local search and rescue agency has indicated.
The families of those injured have issued a statement this Sunday in which they thank “the countless expressions of affection that we are receiving in these difficult moments of searching for our four missing relatives.” The two members of the couple brought children from previous relationships to the family unit, made up of six minors, of whom two stayed in Valencia and did not travel to Indonesia.
The girl rescued after the boat in which she was traveling with part of her family capsized in Indonesia will return to Valencia in the coming days, while her mother will remain in the country. This is what Enrique Ortuño, the little girl’s maternal grandfather, explained to Efe, who has pointed out that the minor’s father has already traveled to Indonesia to bring back the girl, who already has a visa to travel to Spain. As sources close to the family have clarified after the initial confusion with the identities, the missing minors are a son of Fernando Martín – from a previous relationship – and two others (a boy and a girl) of Andrea Ortuño, also from a previous relationship.
“The only official information that we can convey at the moment,” the statement continues, “is that the operation to try to locate our loved ones will continue this Sunday. From the first moment, the Indonesian authorities and security forces are dedicating themselves to this search that has us in suspense, not only the families, but all of Spain. We are deeply grateful for this. We also appreciate the support that the local authorities in Indonesia and especially the Spanish diplomatic corps are offering us.”
And the statement continues: “The families ask that this effort remain in force until our relatives are found. We ask that you continue your efforts in the search for our relatives. Our trust is placed in you continuing to work until you find them.” He concludes by recalling that family members “are traveling to Indonesia to join the search efforts.”
During the second day of the operation, teams recovered remains of the vessel about five nautical miles from the site of the sinking. The head of the Maumere search and rescue office, Fathur Rahman, has detailed that among the aforementioned finds are parts of the boat’s hull, a gas cylinder and sections of the captain’s cabin.
Fathur has regretted the strong currents, the intense rains and waves of up to 1.5 meters have slowed down the search, although he has assured that the rescue teams have continued with the operation “despite the difficult weather conditions.”
In Spain, Valencia CF confirmed this Saturday the identity of the missing father, Fernando Martín (44), coach of Valencia CF Femenino, and has expressed its deep regret for what happened, sending its “support and condolences” to his family and friends.
Martín remains missing, as do his three children, aged between 9 and 12, while his wife and one of the couple’s daughters were able to be rescued from the boat and are doing well.
The family was on holiday in Indonesia, a tourist destination that has attracted a growing number of European visitors in recent years.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has indicated that the sinking was probably due to intense waves caused by adverse weather conditions resulting from a tornado on Christmas Day in the south of the country. According to local authorities, the boat’s engine would have lost power before it was hit by the waves and began to sink.
Sources from the Spanish Foreign Ministry have indicated that they are in contact with the Indonesian authorities and that the Jakarta consulate has been activated to pay attention to the two Spanish survivors of the accident, who have confirmed that they are “out of danger”, as well as to transfer personnel to Labuan Bajo and contact the families of those affected.
Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara has become a hotspot for Indonesian tourism as it is the main gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Komodo National Park, known for its Komodo dragons and island landscapes.
However, the rapid growth of maritime tourism has also raised concerns about vessel safety and supervision. Maritime accidents involving tourist boats periodically occur throughout the archipelago, especially during the monsoon season, when weather conditions change suddenly.
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