Indonesian authorities have ended the ten-day search for missing divemaster Veronica Beatrix Jessica without finding her or the wreck of KM Feronia.
Jessica, 23, from Jakarta, went missing after the dive boat capsized and sank near Tatawa Island in Komodo National Park on 13 October.
Feronia, a traditional phinisi-designed vessel, was en route from Labuan Bajo’s Marina Harbour towards Rinca Island when she encountered a powerful swirling current, which caused her to list sharply to port before overturning and eventually sinking.
A total of 30 people were on board, including 25 passengers, 21 of whom were foreign tourists, and five crew members. Twenty-nine people were rescued, with three people reported to have sustained minor injuries during the incident.
Witnesses told police that Jessica had been inside the boat’s toilet with the door locked when Feronia capsized and had not been able to escape.
The captain, having deployed the liferaft and assisted passengers into it, said he only realised that Jessica was missing when the survivors were counted.
The Maumere Search and Rescue Office launched a major search operation, which included the East Nusa Tenggara water police, Indonesian Navy and Air Force, the boat’s operator and local volunteers, including friends of the missing divemaster.
The search grew from 63 personnel on its second day to 226 people, including 27 divers, and was expanded to cover waters up to 50 nautical miles (58 miles/93km) from the sinking, including the areas around Tatawa, Padar, Siaba Besar and northern Rinca.
The Indonesian Navy used side-scan sonar to inspect the search area, and ROVs were deployed several times to examine the sea bed at depths between 80-84m.
A lifejacket and a scuba tank believed to have come from Feronia were reportedly found near Padar Island, but no other evidence of Jessica or the wreck was ever found.
The search operation was formally ended on Thursday, 22 October following an evaluation of the searches conducted during the previous ten days.
‘Based on our evaluation of all the search efforts undertaken, we have found no sign of either KM Feronia or the missing victim,’ said Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere SAR Office and the operation’s SAR mission coordinator.
‘After considering all the results of the operation and carrying out a joint evaluation, we officially closed the SAR operation on the tenth day.’
Rahman said the closure did not prevent the operation from being reopened if new information or evidence indicating the location of Jessica or the wreck became available.
‘We would like to thank everyone who was involved and supported the operation,’ said Rahman.
‘The commitment of the Maumere SAR Office and the joint SAR team to providing search and rescue services to the public will continue, with professionalism, coordination and personnel safety as priorities.’
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