MARITIMEPOSTS.COM – The search and rescue operation for victims of the sinking of the motorized wooden vessel (KLM) Nurul Salsa in the waters off the Selayar Islands entered its fifth day on Sunday (July 19, 2026), bringing both hopeful and heartbreaking news.
A joint search and rescue (SAR) team rescued two more passengers alive after they had been missing at sea for two days. However, the survivors also recounted a tragic story of three companions who died while struggling to stay alive in the open ocean.
The two survivors, Jamsal (24) and Nurmiati (46), were found at around 1:00 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA) by the fishing boat KM Bari-Baria 05 in the waters near Sanipa Island in the Sabalana Archipelago.
When they were rescued, both were drifting on a piece of floating foam while wearing life jackets.
The survivors told rescuers that they had initially been stranded with five other people on the floating debris after the vessel sank. They survived for two nights at sea without food or fresh water.
Their struggle came at a devastating cost.
According to their account, three of their companions eventually died from exhaustion and prolonged exposure to the harsh conditions at sea.
Faced with an unbearable situation, Jamsal and Nurmiati said they were forced to release the bodies of their deceased companions into the ocean after the remains began to decompose and could no longer be kept on the makeshift raft.
Their testimony has become one of the most heartbreaking accounts to emerge from the Nurul Salsa disaster, which occurred in the waters between Jampea Island and Benteng in the Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi.
Day Four: Five Survivors Evacuated
A day earlier, on Saturday (July 18), the operation entered its fourth day, focusing on evacuating survivors and expanding the search area.
At approximately 2:00 p.m. WITA, five survivors—Andi Samad, Sitti Amang, Dita, Asseng, and Diska—arrived at Benteng Port aboard the SAR vessel KN SAR Kamajaya.
All were immediately transported to KH Hayyung Regional Hospital in Benteng for medical examinations. One survivor, Dita, required intensive treatment after suffering respiratory distress.
On the same day, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) expanded the search area to 408 square nautical miles. The operation was divided into two search sectors covering waters from the Sabalana Archipelago to the Makassar Strait, taking into account ocean currents, wind direction, and weather conditions.
DVI Identification Post Established
To support victim identification, the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team of the South Sulawesi Regional Police established an Ante-Mortem Information Center at Benteng Port.
The center is collecting personal information from victims’ families, including physical characteristics and other identifying details, to facilitate the identification process should additional fatalities be recovered.
Search Continues for Missing Passengers
With the rescue of Jamsal and Nurmiati, the number of previously missing passengers found alive increased to seven.
According to the Joint SAR Command Post’s latest update at 2:30 p.m. WITA on Sunday, 59 passengers have been located, while 17 others remain missing and are still being searched for.
The joint SAR operation—comprising Basarnas, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), local fishermen, volunteers, and regional government agencies—continues to comb areas where victims are believed to have drifted.
Search teams are also relying on analyses of wind patterns, ocean currents, and information provided by survivors to narrow down the search zone.
The Selayar Islands Regency Government has reaffirmed its commitment to fully support the humanitarian operation until every victim has been found.
Amid the grief that continues to weigh heavily on the victims’ families, each survivor rescued offers a glimmer of hope that more lives may still be saved from one of South Sulawesi’s most tragic maritime disasters.
Editorial Desk
