Three Ships and Helicopter Deployed to Evacuate Passengers from KMP Putri Yasmin
A joint search and rescue (SAR) team has deployed three ships to evacuate victims of a fire on the ferry KMP Putri Yasmin while it was sailing from Padangbai Port, Bali, to Lembar Port, Lombok, in the early hours of Wednesday (12/8/2026).
Head of the Mataram SAR Office, Muhamad Hariyadi, stressed that the main focus of all personnel at present is securing the safety of all passengers and crew of KMP Putri Yasmin.
“We have deployed KN 220 Mataram, a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), and a Rigid Buoyancy Boat (RBB) to the scene to carry out evacuation and coordinate with vessels in the vicinity of the incident,” Hariyadi stated on Wednesday (12/8/2026).
Hariyadi said the handling of this maritime disaster has been expanded. The Mataram SAR Office is collaborating with the Denpasar SAR Office, which has also deployed its main vessel KN SAR Arjuna. In addition to the sea route, aerial monitoring and search efforts have been launched using a helicopter from SGi Air Bali.
According to Hariyadi, the evacuation operation also involves the Indonesian Navy through KAL Lembar, West Lombok Police, the Water and Air Police (Polairud), the Lembar Port Harbourmaster, KMP PortLink II, passing yachts, and local fishing communities.
As of now, the joint SAR team is still working in the waters off Sekotong to sweep the area and evacuate all victims. The exact number of passengers and crew, as well as the cause of the ship fire, is still being intensively recorded by officers in the field.
It was previously reported that KMP Putri Yasmin caught fire while crossing the waters off Sekotong Beach, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), in the early hours of Wednesday (12/8/2026). Information about the incident was received by the Mataram SAR Office from the skipper of Rescue Boat (RB) 220 Mataram, Nurdin, at 04.39 Wita.
A 50-second video received by detikBali showed plumes of smoke causing panic among the ship’s passengers. All passengers appeared to be wearing life jackets.
“It is destroyed. Allahu Akbar,” said a man in the video while wearing a life jacket.