Search for Five Missing KMP Putri Yasmin Passengers Remains Fruitless on Second Day, Two Helicopters Deployed

The second day of searching for five passengers of the KMP Putri Yasmin, which caught fire in the waters off Sekotong, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, has yielded no results. The joint SAR team operation on Thursday (13/08) intensified the search for victims of the incident in the waters by deploying air support. The Mataram SAR Office collaborated with SGi Air Bali, flying two helicopters supported by Finns Search and Rescue from Benoa, Bali. The first helicopter departed from Bali at 12.59 WITA and arrived at Lembar Port at 13.33 WITA. Three minutes later, the helicopter took off towards the designated search area. After completing the aerial sweep, the first helicopter landed back at Lembar Port at 14.27 WITA before returning to Bali. It was followed by a second helicopter, which arrived at Lembar Port at 15.36 WITA to carry out a similar search mission. The second helicopter landed back at Lembar Port at 16.30 WITA before ultimately returning to Bali. During these flights, personnel from the Mataram SAR Office were on board to directly monitor search points from the air. Meanwhile, the joint SAR team at sea continued to optimise the search using KN SAR Arjuna and RIB 02 Mataram. According to reports received by the SAR Command Post, five people remain unaccounted for. Head of the Mataram SAR Office, Muhamad Hariyadi, stated that deploying air assets is a crucial strategy to expand the search coverage, given the vast area of the Lombok Strait waters. ‘On this second day, we are strengthening the search operation by air, flying two SGi Air Bali helicopters supported by Finns Search and Rescue, with our personnel on board during the flights,’ said Muhamad Hariyadi. As of 18.00 WITA, the sweep conducted by land, sea, and air teams had still not produced any results and will resume the following day, Friday 14 August.