Australian Yacht Found Stranded in Rote, NTT, Crew Missing
An Australian-flagged yacht was found stranded without crew on the coast of Duile Beach, Oesosole Hamlet, Faifua Village, East Rote District, Rote Ndao, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Tuesday (16/6/2026). Police discovered a number of sale and purchase documents and electronic items inside the vessel.
The vessel, named Balamara, ran aground on the shoreline, causing a stir among local residents. When it was found, there was no skipper, crew member, or passenger on board.
Rote Ndao Police Chief AKBP Mardiono stated that his team immediately followed up on the residents’ report by visiting the scene.
“Upon receiving the report from residents, personnel from the East Rote Police Sector immediately went to the location to conduct an inspection. Upon arrival at the scene, officers found an Australian-flagged yacht in a stranded condition with no one on board,” said AKBP Mardiono on Wednesday (17/6/2026).
From the initial inspection, police found several documents inside the vessel. These documents included a purchase offer and a sale and purchase agreement. The documents listed the vessel’s name as Balamara, type Adams Traditional 36, hull number AU-WWA072974, with a Volvo Penta engine.
In addition to the documents, officers also secured a number of items from the yacht, including a GPS unit, a bag containing clothing, an electric drill, and a television set.
“All items found have been secured for investigation purposes. We have also placed a police line around the location to prevent any disturbance to the evidence or actions that could compromise the examination process,” Mardiono emphasised.
The Rote Ndao Police are currently coordinating with relevant agencies to trace the vessel’s origins and the whereabouts of its crew.
“We are conducting further investigation into the voyage origin of this vessel, how it came to be stranded in the East Rote region, and the whereabouts of its skipper and crew. All possibilities will be explored together with the relevant parties,” he said.
Mardiono also urged residents not to approach the vessel or take any items from inside it.
“We invite the community to jointly safeguard the location and refrain from looting or taking any items on board the vessel. If residents have any additional information, we hope they will immediately convey it to the officers,” he appealed.
Personnel from the East Rote Police Sector remain on guard at the location. The situation is reported to be safe and conducive.
“We are ensuring that the entire handling process is carried out according to procedure and will continue to coordinate with relevant parties to uncover the facts behind the presence of this vessel,” he concluded.