Search for Five Missing KMP Putri Yasmin Victims Enters Third Day, Area Expanded

The joint SAR team has expanded the search area for the five missing victims of the KMP Putri Yasmin ferry, deploying three Search and Rescue Units (SRU) on the third day of operations. Head of the Mataram SAR Office, Muhammad Hariyadi, stated that the expansion was based on the SAR Operations Plan, with the search divided into three sectors to optimise efforts. “Entering the third day of the SAR operation for KMP Putri Yasmin, we are deploying maximum strength through the division of three SRUs, which includes surface water sweeping using ship fleets and aerial monitoring using a Finns SGi Air Bali helicopter,” Hariyadi said on Friday. SRU 1 is utilising the KN SAR 220 Mataram vessel to search the waters, whilst SRU 2 is using the KAL Lembar to sweep another search sector. SRU 3 is operating the Finns SGi Air Bali helicopter to conduct aerial monitoring and sweeping, aimed at expanding the visual range of the SAR team. The operation is also supported by various other equipment and vessels, including RBB Mataram, RIB 02 Mataram, KN SAR Arjuna, RIB Nusa Penida, KMP Portlink II, KMP Parama Kalyani, KAL Lembar, Polair vessel KP XXI-2015, and the yachts Still Here and No Comment. Ambulances from the West Lombok Regional General Hospital and the NTB Regional General Hospital have also been placed on standby. The KMP Putri Yasmin caught fire in the waters off Sekotong Beach, West Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat, in the early hours of Wednesday. A total of 212 victims were evacuated to Lembar Port and Padangbai Port in Bali, with one person reported dead.