Tourist Boat Sinks in Komodo National Park, One Missing

Labuan Bajo — A tourist pinisi named KM Feronia sank in the waters of Pulau Tatawa, within Komodo National Park, on Oct. 13, 2026, leaving one passenger missing after 29 people were evacuated safely.

The vessel had departed from Marina Labuan Bajo for Rinca Island with 30 people aboard: 25 passengers and five crew members. Reports said it encountered strong currents near Pulau Tatawa at about 2:30 p.m. WITA (UTC+8), tilted, overturned and sank. The reports identified the missing passenger as Veronica Beatrix Jessica, 23, an Indonesian citizen.

Why the sinking matters to visitors in Komodo National Park

The incident occurred on a route used by visitors traveling from Labuan Bajo to destinations inside the national park. For foreign visitors, the report means that a scheduled park excursion can involve open-water crossings where strong currents and changing conditions affect vessel safety and rescue operations. It also shows why passenger manifests matter during an emergency: the search effort was based on accounting for all 30 people aboard.

Joint search-and-rescue teams evacuated 29 people by the afternoon. The search for the missing passenger was suspended temporarily on Oct. 13 because of limited visibility and strong currents, with operations scheduled to continue on Wednesday, Oct. 14. One report said the vessel carried 25 tourists and five crew members; another described the evacuated group as 24 tourists and five crew members.

The sinking was reported in the waters around Pulau Tatawa and Batu Bolong, in Manggarai Barat, East Nusa Tenggara. The reports attributed the incident to strong currents, with one account also citing high tide; the precise cause remained under investigation.

Sources

• Detik — Indonesian national news report
• Liputan6 — Indonesian national news report
• Medcom — Indonesian national news report
• ntb.idntimes.com