Basarnas Temporarily Halts Search for 14 Missing KM Nurul Salsa Victims

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has temporarily closed the SAR operation searching for 14 victims of the KM Nurul Salsa, which sank in the waters off Selayar, west of Polasi Island, Selayar Regency, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday, 15 July 2026. The head of the Makassar Basarnas office, Muhammad Arif Anwar, stated that the closure was planned for Friday afternoon, in accordance with the agency’s standard operating procedures which set a seven-day search limit. The operation had already been extended by three days following an evaluation by the field team, bringing the total search period to ten days.

Despite the suspension, Anwar noted that if reports of found victims emerge, the operation could be reopened, but only for evacuation purposes before the remains are handed over to the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team. On the final day of the search, the joint SAR team was still conducting operations, with a subsequent evaluation planned to verify the total number of passengers.

According to survivor accounts, the initial group of 19 victims on a raft split into four smaller rafts, causing them to become separated. The first raft with five people all survived, while from the second raft of five, only two survived. The search was extended after two bodies were found on the seventh day near Sanana or Sabalana Island, leading the team to focus on the many small, uninhabited islands in the area, including Mattalang Island where the last victim was found.

Initial data indicated 78 people were aboard the vessel, but police verification at the Benteng SAR post and local government data updated the figure to 76. To date, 58 people have been rescued, four have been confirmed dead, and 14 remain missing.