Nine Crew Members of KM Makmur Jaya Missing in Bintan Waters

Combined search and rescue teams continue operations to locate nine crew members of KM Makmur Jaya reported missing in the waters of Pulau Merapas, Bintan Regency, Riau Islands. The nine crew members are believed to have become separated after attempting to save themselves using a lifeboat when their vessel capsized after being struck by high waves on Sunday, 8 March 2026.

Of the total 29 people aboard the vessel, 20 were successfully rescued in good condition. The remaining nine have not yet been found and remain the primary focus of search operations.

The incident began when KM Makmur Jaya was sailing from Kampung Bugis towards Pulau Pengibu. At approximately 04:00 WIB, the vessel, which was in waters near Pulau Merapas, was struck by high waves. The wave impact caused the ship to list, tilt, and ultimately capsize in the middle of the sea.

Fazzli, Head of the Tanjungpinang Search and Rescue Office, explained that when the ship capsized, crew members attempted to save themselves in various ways. “Twenty people remained on the overturned hull of the vessel. Meanwhile, nine other crew members used a lifeboat to save themselves,” Fazzli stated on Monday, 9 March 2026.

However, due to high waves and limited visibility, the lifeboat carrying the nine crew members became separated from the main vessel. Since then, they have been reported as having lost contact.

Until Monday afternoon, search operations continued by sweeping the waters around the incident location. The search and rescue team focused on the possible position of the lifeboat carrying the nine crew members.

A total of 22 rescue personnel from the Batam SAR Post were deployed to the location using the vessel KN SAR Purworejo 101. In addition, this operation involved various combined units to accelerate the process of locating the victims.

The Search and Rescue Office appealed to vessels passing through the area of the incident to monitor sea conditions and immediately report if they discover signs of the lifeboat or victims at sea. Operations will continue until all victims have been found.