Basarnas Bali deploys helicopter to assist KMP incident in Lombok

The Mataram SAR Office received an emergency report at 04.39 Wita and immediately deployed personnel to carry out the evacuation process.

Denpasar (ANTARA) - The Basarnas Bali Office has deployed an SGi Air Bali helicopter to assist in handling the fire incident involving KMP Putri Yasmin in the waters of the Lombok Strait.

“The SGi Air Bali helicopter took off at 09.50 Wita heading to the search area,” said Head of the Basarnas Bali Office I Nyoman Sidakarya in Denpasar on Wednesday.

He said that given the emergency situation, and with the Mataram SAR Office also coordinating with the Denpasar SAR Office, a helicopter was deployed for wider aerial monitoring of the waters.

“It is more for aerial search, because with a helicopter the visual range is wider, while evacuation continues using the nearest marine equipment,” said Sidakarya.

Aboard the KN SAR Arjuna were 21 personnel from Bali who departed via Benoa Port at 08.00 Wita this morning, followed by the Head of the Basarnas Bali Office, the Operations Section Head of Basarnas Bali, public relations staff, and five personnel from the Karangasem SAR Post via Padang Bai Port.

For information, based on a statement from the Mataram SAR Office, an intensive SAR operation is currently underway following the fire incident involving KMP Putri Yasmin in the waters of the Lombok Strait.

The incident was reported to have occurred at 04.15 Wita while the vessel was en route from Padang Bai Port to Lembar Port.

Head of the Mataram SAR Office Muhamad Hariyadi said the team’s main priority at present is the safety of all passengers and crew members.

“We have deployed KN 220 Mataram, a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), and a Rigid Buoyancy Boat (RBB) to the incident location to carry out evacuation and to coordinate with vessels in the vicinity of the incident,” said Muhamad Hariyadi.

This SAR operation involves synergy from various elements, including the Mataram SAR Office, Denpasar SAR Office, KMP PortLink II, KAL Lembar, the Indonesian Navy, West Lombok Police, West Lombok Water and Air Police, the Lembar Port Harbourmaster, a yacht, SGi Air Bali, local residents, and other related parties.

As of now, the joint SAR team remains at the incident location to carry out the evacuation process.