Evacuation of 62 KM Mutiara Survivors from Masalembu Island Delayed by High Waves

High waves and bad weather at sea have delayed the return of dozens of survivors from the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry fire from Masalembu Island to Surabaya. The evacuation vessel carrying 62 survivors was forced to reduce speed during the voyage.

Head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, Mohammad Syafii, stated that the group was initially expected to arrive at Tanjung Perak Port in the morning or around midday. However, rough sea conditions caused a delay of several hours.

“The ship’s current position is at 54 nautical miles. We estimated it would arrive between 10:00 and 11:00, but due to the wave conditions, the journey will be delayed by approximately two to three hours,” Syafii said at the Gapura Surya Nusantara SAR post at Tanjung Perak, Surabaya.

The high waves in the waters around Madura and Masalembu have not only affected the evacuation voyage but also required adjustments to the search area. Although most passengers have been rescued, Basarnas has not yet halted the search operation at sea.

An earlier update confirmed the total number of survivors evacuated has risen to 238. This figure increased following the registration of survivors from Masalembu Island, including child passengers who had not been recorded at the initial stage of the incident. The KN SAR 249 Permadi remains on standby at the location where the ship caught fire to anticipate any remaining victims who may still be adrift in the waters.