Cargo Ship Bound for Nusa Lembongan Sinks off Padang Galak

The cargo ship MK Baruna, which was preparing to depart for Nusa Lembongan Island, sank in the waters off Padang Galak Beach, Denpasar, on Tuesday morning (11/8/2026). The 22.5-metre vessel is suspected to have sunk after being struck by high waves. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the incident.

“A cargo ship sank in the waters of Padang Galak, Kesiman Petilan, as it was about to depart for Nusa Lembongan,” stated Denpasar Police Public Relations Head, Iptu I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya, in a statement on Tuesday.

The cargo ship had actually been ready to depart since Monday (10/8/2026) at 19.00 WITA. However, large waves prevented its departure at that time.

The ship’s captain, Mohammad Ilyas (40), reported that wave heights reached up to 4 metres until 21.00 WITA. These conditions forced him to drop anchor with the ship positioned 40 metres from the shoreline.

Meanwhile, Ilyas and two crew members spent the night on board. “The captain decided to drop anchor 40 metres from the shoreline,” Adi added.

Wave conditions remained high until the early hours of Tuesday. Seawater began entering through the rear of the vessel.

Ilyas decided to bring the ship back to port. However, the waves were too large, causing more water to enter the ship until the MK Baruna eventually sank.

Adi explained that an investigation at the scene indicated the ship sank due to strong wave currents. “It is suspected that weather conditions, namely large waves and strong water currents, caused the ship to take on water and sink,” he stated.

The evacuation process for the sunken ship involved the captain, crew members, and local residents. Adi noted that the ship owner has yet to calculate the estimated losses resulting from the incident.