Missing Manta Point Speedboat Crew Found Safe in East Java

Klungkung — — Three crew members from the speedboat Baliman, reported missing after an engine failure near Manta Point off Nusa Penida, were found safe at Puger Beach in Jember, East Java, on Wednesday night, 16 September 2026, following a five-day search, according to Bali’s search and rescue agency and local media.

The three were identified as captain I Nyoman Budiana and crew members Keristino Sahreza Avendi Da and Niko Demios Landena, all found in good health after days adrift at sea, according to statements from the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office and reports in regional news outlets.

The speedboat Baliman was first reported to have suffered engine failure in waters off Manta Point, Nusa Penida, on Saturday, 12 September 2026, leading to loss of contact with the vessel and its crew.

Rescue after five days adrift

Search and rescue officials said information about the crew’s discovery reached the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office at about 9:06 p.m. WITA on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, when a colleague of the crew reported that local fishermen had evacuated the vessel and its occupants to Puger Beach in East Java.

The physical position of the speedboat Baliman was reported near the fishing aggregation device known as Rumpon Bleduk, about 42 nautical miles from the coast, where it had become stuck after the engine failed and the boat drifted.

Rescue personnel from the Banyuwangi Search and Rescue Office then travelled to Puger to meet the crew and carry out medical checks. Officials stated that Budiana, Sahreza Avendi Da and Demios Landena were all safe and in good health despite being at sea for five days.

Local naval officers in Puger said the crew’s presence on the Jember coast was detected after a mobile phone belonging to one of the crew members showed activity in the Puger coastal area, prompting coordination and a visit to the scene where the three men were found in a weakened but stable condition.

Search effort off Nusa Penida

The incident triggered a multi-day search operation centred on Manta Point and surrounding waters off Nusa Penida in Klungkung Regency. Search and rescue teams in Bali and East Java coordinated their efforts, supported by family members, local fishing boats and maritime authorities.

Earlier in the operation, search teams used vessels and aerial assets to comb the area around Manta Point, widening the search zone based on wind and current estimates. Officials reported that the work was complicated by sea conditions, with waves estimated at between 2 and 4 metres in the search area.

Despite the challenging conditions, search operations continued over five days until confirmation arrived that the crew and speedboat had been evacuated to Puger Beach.

Rescue authorities said the families of the three men were scheduled to collect them in East Java on Thursday, 17 September 2026, to return them to Bali.

Key figures

• 12 September 2026: Speedboat Baliman reported to have suffered engine failure near Manta Point, Nusa Penida.
• 16 September 2026: Crew located and evacuated by fishermen to Puger Beach, Jember, East Java.
• 2–4 metres: Estimated wave height complicating search operations in waters off Nusa Penida.
• About 42 nautical miles: Reported distance of the vessel from the coast near Rumpon Bleduk.

Operational risks in busy coastal waters

The case highlights the operational risks faced by small fast boats working in waters that serve both tourism activities and local marine transport. The Baliman’s engine failure at Manta Point, a popular marine tourism area off Nusa Penida, left the vessel adrift until it was eventually carried to waters off East Java.

Search and rescue officials did not immediately disclose the technical cause of the engine failure or whether a formal safety review would follow. No detailed information was released on any damage to the vessel or on the crew’s access to communications during the period they were missing.

Sources

• Media Indonesia
• Detik Jatim
• NusaBali.com
• Koran Jakarta
• Bali Puspa News