Ferry Tragedy Near Bali: 4 Dead, 38 Missing as Vessel Carrying 65 Sinks in Rough Seas
Bali, Indonesia – July 3, 2025 — A ferry carrying 65 people sank in the rough waters off Bali’s coast late Wednesday night, leaving four confirmed dead and 38 others still missing, according to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
The ill-fated vessel, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, had just departed from Ketapang port in East Java, heading for Gilimanuk port in Bali, a routine 50-kilometre crossing. It sank roughly 30 minutes after departure, triggering a massive search-and-rescue operation.
The ferry was transporting 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks, the agency said in a statement.
As of Thursday morning, 23 people have been rescued, many in an unconscious state after drifting in choppy waters for hours. Rescuers have so far recovered four bodies, confirmed Banyuwangi Police Chief Rama Samtama Putra.
Nine vessels—including two tugboats and two inflatable rescue boats—were deployed overnight, battling waves as high as 2 meters (6.5 feet) to search for survivors in the darkness.
Also Read: Good News For Small Businesses! RBI Scraps Pre-Payment Charges up to This Amount
Ferry disasters are tragically frequent in Indonesia, an archipelagic nation of over 17,000 islands, where water transport remains essential but safety regulations are often poorly enforced.
In May, seven tourists died and 34 were injured when a wooden vessel sank in Bengkulu province. Just last month, another tourist boat with 89 passengers capsized off Bali; fortunately, all passengers were rescued. But as this latest tragedy shows, fortune doesn’t always favour the victims.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the sinking, but preliminary reports suggest rough sea conditions played a significant role. Questions over the vessel’s seaworthiness, crew preparedness, and safety protocols are likely to be part of the official investigation.
As rescue efforts continue, families of the missing wait anxiously for news, while maritime safety once again comes under scrutiny in a country too familiar with such tragedies.
Indonesia ferry disaster, Bali ferry sinking, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, Ketapang Gilimanuk route, Indonesian maritime safety, ferry accident Indonesia, sea rescue Bali, ferry capsized, Indonesia news, archipelago transport risks
In a high-profile appearance for the finale week of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) Season 17,…
Acclaimed Sufi singer Kailash Kher was forced to stop his live performance midway at the…
The 2025 reimagining of Anaconda is a film that recognizes the absurdity of its own…
Bollywood’s favorite couple, Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani, shared a heartwarming glimpse of their 2025…
The Central government on Friday expressed strong opposition to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed…
The year 2025 has been a landmark era for Indian cinema, defined by performances that…
