Komodo Search for Jessica Ends Without Result in Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo — The final scheduled search for Veronica Beatrix Jessica, who remained missing after the Feronia pinisi sank in Komodo National Park, ended on Monday, Oct. 19, without finding her or the vessel’s wreck.

The joint search team was looking for Jessica in waters off Labuan Bajo, in Manggarai Barat, East Nusa Tenggara. The Feronia sank on Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Komodo National Park, leaving Jessica as the only person still missing.

To keep the search area clear, the Class III Labuan Bajo Harbourmaster and Port Authority Office restricted tourist vessels from crossing five waters from 07:00 to 17:00 WITA: Batu Bolong, Mawan, Siaba Kecil, Siaba Besar and Tatawa Kecil.

Why it matters to visitors in Komodo

For foreign visitors, the restriction meant that tourist boats and visitor activities in those five areas were not permitted during the stated daytime window on the final scheduled search day. The measure applied to movement through the named waters, rather than describing a general closure of all of Komodo National Park.

Searchers had already worked for six days through Sunday, Oct. 18, without finding either Jessica or the wreck. The seventh day was scheduled as the final day of the operation under the initial search plan.

By 17:00 WITA on Monday, the search had produced no result.

Sources

• detikBali — regional news report
• kumparan.com