Fisherman from Penajam Paser Utara Rescued After Being Adrift at Sea

A fisherman from RT 003, Api-Api Village, Waru District, Penajam Paser Utara Regency, East Kalimantan, identified as Lukman (55), was successfully rescued on Tuesday night (16/6) by a joint team, his family, and local residents after being adrift at sea and reported missing by his family while fishing. The Head of the Penajam Paser Utara Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Nurlaila, stated that the victim was reported missing after failing to return from sea. However, following an intensive search by a joint team comprising BPBD, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Indonesian National Police, family members, residents, and related parties, the victim was eventually found safe. Lukman, a shrimp fisherman using a dogol net, had set out to sea alone on Monday (15/6) at around 17:00 Central Indonesian Time, using his wooden boat heading towards the waters off Api-Api. By the following day, Tuesday (16/6), he had still not returned home, causing his family to become anxious, especially as he had not brought a mobile phone for communication. “We received the missing person report on Tuesday afternoon at around 18:00 Central Indonesian Time. The information was conveyed by the victim’s nephew, Asri (23), who lives with the victim,” Nurlaila said. Asri explained that his uncle went to sea as usual without bringing a mobile phone, carrying only enough provisions for one night. However, he usually returned by morning, but by that afternoon he had still not come back, raising the family’s concern. “We also knew that the wooden boat my uncle used had a leak in the hull, so water entering the boat had to be constantly bailed out to prevent it from sinking. Even though last year in 2025, he did not return for two days because his dogol net got snagged on a coral reef,” Asri added. Nurlaila recounted that after the search was launched, the joint team received information from another fisherman who had just returned from sea, reporting that he had seen a boat matching the victim’s description near a bagang. Upon receiving this information, the joint team, family, and several fishermen immediately moved to the location by boat. At around 20:25 Central Indonesian Time, Lukman was found safe on a bagang in the Api-Api waters. “After successfully locating the victim, the evacuation process to his home in Api-Api Village was carried out at 21:30 Central Indonesian Time in a safe condition,” she said. According to the victim’s account, he was unable to return to land because his boat engine broke down while at sea. As a result, Lukman was left adrift and was carried by the current to a bagang where he waited for help. Separately, the Penajam Paser Utara Police Chief, AKBP Andreas Alek Danantara, said the incident serves as a reminder for fishermen to always ensure their boats and engines are in good condition before setting out to sea. “Furthermore, the use of communication devices and safety equipment is also very important to anticipate emergency situations at sea,” he concluded.