Tourist Boat Carrying 30 Passengers Sinks in Satonda, NTB; All Passengers Safe
Thirty passengers aboard the tourist boat Interniti were successfully rescued after the vessel sank in the waters of Satonda, Dompu Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), in the early hours of this morning. Before sinking, the vessel, which serves the Lombok-Labuan Bajo route, reportedly suffered an engine failure.
The rescue operation was carried out by the crew of the tourist boat Lamima, which happened to be in the vicinity at the time. All passengers were evacuated before the Interniti sank after being struck by waves.
Information regarding the maritime accident was shared on social media by Bambang Irawan, a professional dive guide from Bima. “The incident occurred around 04:00 AM today. I happened to be part of the rescue team from the Lamima tourist boat,” Bambang stated when confirmed on Saturday.
Bambang explained that the Interniti was sailing from Lombok to Labuan Bajo when it lost power while passing through Satonda waters. The news of the incident was first received via the Indonesia Tourism WhatsApp group.
Upon receiving the information, the crew of the Lamima, which was also passing through the Satonda area, immediately moved towards the location. All passengers were subsequently evacuated to the Lamima.
“After all passengers were evacuated onto the Lamima, the engine-less Interniti sank immediately due to being hit by waves,” he explained.
According to Bambang, there were a total of 30 people on board the Interniti, consisting of 20 foreign tourists, two guides, and eight crew members. “All 30 passengers and crew members are safe and have been evacuated to Calabai Port, Dompu,” he said.
After arriving at Calabai Port and ensuring there were no injuries, the tourists, guides, and crew continued their journey to Sape Ferry Terminal, Bima Regency, via public bus. “They departed for Sape Port this morning. Their final destination remains Labuan Bajo, though they are now using a ferry,” Bambang added.
As a tourism observer and dive guide, Bambang urged relevant authorities to inspect and test the seaworthiness of tourist vessels. He noted that many small vessels are unfit for sailing and often carry loads exceeding their capacity, posing a significant risk of sinking. “Ships sailing during bad weather like this must be tested and inspected. Within this month alone, several tourist boats have sunk in the Bima and Dompu waters,” he concluded.