Woman Missing After Jumping from Ferry in Poto Tano Waters, Sumbawa

A woman identified as Masnah has gone missing after she reportedly jumped from the Motor Passenger Vessel (KMP) Belida in the waters off Poto Tano, West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The tense incident occurred on Saturday evening (20/6) while the ship was sailing from Poto Tano to Kayangan, East Lombok. Muhammad Darwis, Coordinator of the Kayangan Search and Rescue (SAR) Post in East Lombok, stated that the Mataram SAR Office immediately deployed personnel to the location after receiving an official report in the early hours of Sunday (21/6). “We dispatched the Kayangan SAR Post Rescue Team as soon as we received the report to coordinate and conduct the search,” Darwis said in an official statement on Sunday. According to Darwis, the ship’s crew had also carried out emergency procedures before the SAR team arrived. The crew turned the ship around and performed manoeuvres around the point where Masnah fell, hoping to locate her position, but the initial search effort yielded no results. “Previously, the ship’s crew had conducted an initial search by manoeuvring around the incident location, but so far the victim has not been found,” Darwis added. Entering the second day, the search radius has been expanded. A joint team is combing the sea using a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) from Labuan Lombok Port heading south. “We are sweeping the waters around Belang Island, the northern part of Panjang Island, Kelor Island, Mandiki Island, Genang Island, Ular Island, Kenawa Island, Range Island, up to the waters of Poto Tano Port,” Darwis detailed the search route. To date, the SAR team has not succeeded in finding Masnah. Darwis emphasised that the search process will continue to be optimised while taking into account weather conditions and sea currents.