Search Intensifies for Dozens Missing After Bali Strait Ferry Disaster

Efforts to locate 28 individuals missing after a ferry capsized in the Bali Strait last week are ongoing, with search teams focusing on the strait’s southern reaches after the discovery of a body on Sunday.

Extensive Search Operation Underway

Now in its fifth day, the search operation has deployed all available primary resources to the area south of Bali Island, where the ferry, named Tunu Pratama Jaya, was initially reported to have sunk, according to a Basarnas officer.

“The farthest distance of today’s search operations reaches 20–25 miles,” said Ribut Eko Suyanto, deputy for search and rescue operations and preparedness at the agency, speaking to reporters at Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, East Java.

Naval vessels KRI Marlin 877 and KRI Tongkol are covering the greatest distances, while five other ships are conducting searches within a range of 5 to 15 miles. These vessels include KP Bima 7014, KN SAR Permadi, KN SAR Arjuna, KNP Granti, and KP Hiu Macan Tutul.

Tragic Toll and Ongoing Investigation

As of Monday morning, Basarnas reported that seven people have been confirmed dead, 30 have been rescued, and 28 remain missing. The incident occurred on July 2, 2025, when the roll-on/roll-off ferry, carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles, departed Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, East Java, at 10:56 p.m.

The vessel sank en route to Gilimanuk Port in Bali around 11:35 p.m. that same evening. Maritime accidents are a persistent concern in Indonesia, an archipelago nation reliant on ferries for transportation. Just this month, a cargo ship sank off Borneo, leaving several missing (Reuters).

Government Response

President Prabowo Subianto has directed all relevant government agencies to exert every possible effort in rescuing the remaining passengers and crew of the ill-fated ferry.

Earlier, local SAR coordinator Wahyu Setia Budi confirmed the details of the ferry’s manifest and timeline.