Basarnas Predicts 18 Missing from Selayar Ship Sinking Drifted Towards West Nusa Tenggara

The joint SAR team is still searching for 18 missing victims from the sinking of the KM Nurul Salsa in the Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, who have yet to be found. “As of now, there are still 18 victims, according to confirmation we received from family members who reported to the SAR post,” said Basarnas Operations Director, First Admiral Yudhi Bramantyo, to reporters on Monday (20/7). Yudhi stated that the total number of passengers and crew aboard the KM Nurul Salsa, which sank on Wednesday (15/7), was 78 people. “Fifty-nine survived, one died, and 18 victims are still being sought,” he said. In this operation, Yudhi noted, the joint SAR team is supported by deployed assets including KN SAR Kamajaya, KN SAR Puntadewa 250, KN SAR Pacitan 102, KRI Marlin 877, KRI Hiu 634, a Boeing B737-200 aircraft, fishermen, and other SAR potential. “Based on the Search and Rescue Marine Prediction (SARMAP) we conducted, it is likely that by this sixth day, the victims will have largely drifted southwest towards the area of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), which is why we have involved SAR Mataram and Denpasar to be on standby,” he said. Yudhi said the joint SAR team had evacuated seven survivors from the KM Nurul Salsa, which sank in the waters of the Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, after they were found by fishing boats. “On the fourth day of the operation, we evacuated five people, and on the fifth day, two more, all in a safe condition,” he said. Yudhi added that as of today, the SAR operation has been divided into five sectors, deploying all available assets. “Whereas yesterday it was only four sectors, today we have added one, and the area is slightly larger at 1,980 square nautical miles,” he said.