KMP Putri Yasmin Catches Fire in Lombok Strait, 106 Passengers Evacuated

The Mataram Search and Rescue (SAR) Office in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) recorded that all 106 passengers of the KMP Putri Yasmin, which caught fire in the waters of the Lombok Strait, were successfully evacuated to Lembar Port in Lombok and Padangbai Port in Bali.

Head of the Mataram SAR Office, Muhamad Hariyadi, stated that the passengers were evacuated by several vessels belonging to SAR, the Indonesian Navy, and the KMP Port Link, which normally serves the Lembar–Padangbai route.

‘We deployed the KN 220 Mataram, a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), and a Rigid Buoyancy Boat (RBB) to the scene to carry out the evacuation and coordinated with ships in the vicinity of the incident,’ he said on Wednesday.

He detailed that 30 of the evacuated passengers were taken to Padangbai, Bali, aboard the KMP Port Link, 59 were evacuated to Lembar Port using the KN SAR Arjuna 220, and 17 were taken to Lembar by an Indonesian Navy vessel.

‘The surviving passengers were evacuated to Padangbai Port and Lembar Port,’ he explained.

He said the Mataram SAR Office collaborated with the Denpasar SAR Office, which also deployed its main vessel, the KN SAR Arjuna. In addition to the sea route, aerial monitoring and search efforts were also deployed using a helicopter from SGi Air Bali.

‘Yes, we are still focusing on the evacuation for now,’ he stated.

According to him, the evacuation operation also involved the Indonesian Navy through KAL Lembar, the West Lombok Police, the Water and Air Police (Polairud), the Lembar Port Harbourmaster, the KMP PortLink II, passing yachts, and local fishing communities.

Hariyadi disclosed that the fire incident involving the KMP Putri Yasmin occurred in the waters of the Lombok Strait, NTB, in the early hours of Wednesday. The incident was reported to have taken place at 04:15 WITA when the ship was en route from Padang Bai Port to Lembar Port. The Mataram SAR Office received the emergency report at 04:39 WITA and immediately deployed personnel to conduct the evacuation process.

This SAR operation involved synergy from various elements, including the Mataram SAR Office, Denpasar SAR Office, KMP PortLink II, KAL Lembar, the Indonesian Navy, West Lombok Police, West Lombok Polairud, the Lembar Port Harbourmaster, yachts, SGi Air Bali, the local community, and other relevant parties.