Work Starts On Recovery Of Shipwrecked Ferry In Bali But Fears Mission Could Impact Tourists And Residents 

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Work has begun to recover the wreck of the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry, which sank in the Bali Strait on 2nd July.

The ship was carrying at least 53 people when it sank just minutes into its journey from East Java to Bali. Beneath the waters of the Bali Strait lie essential cable networks that conduct the power supply from Java to Bali.

The Search and Rescue Teams have successfully located the wreck of the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry, which has shifted around 800m from the point where it sank.

Search and Rescue Leader, Haranto, told reporters during a virtual press conference, “The location of the ship has been confirmed. The next stage is the location point marking, which we will immediately implement.” The ship is currently sitting at a depth of 49m below the surface of the water. 

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The search mission continues for those listed as missing from the incident. As of Monday, 14th July, 30 survivors had been accounted for, 18 victims have been found, and 17 others are still missing. Initial investigations suggest that the ferry sank due to a range of factors, including bad weather and overloading. 

As work gets underway to recover the wreckage, the Communication Manager for PLN Bali, Wayan Eka Susana, said that the electrical sub-stations are unaffected by the shipwreck.

On behalf of the power company, Susana shared, “If there is a power outage right now, it is not necessarily caused by the sinking problem of the Tunu Pratama KMP, which is approaching the underwater cable.”

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While all efforts will be put in place to ensure that the recovery of the ship does not impact the power cable, there is still a risk that the work could impact connectivity between Bali and Java, plunging Bali into darkness. 

The Deputy Governor of Bali told reporters, “Coordination is carried out from the generation side, load management, transmission, and distribution to ensure that everything is on standby, if something bad happens.”

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On 2nd May 2025, Bali was plunged into darkness as a province-wide blackout hit the island. Power was out for many areas for as long as 24 hours, though more than 50% of the island was reconnected within 2.5 hours.

The blackout was a reminder to tourists to be prepared for every eventuality, even while on a relaxing vacation. Tourists are advised to carry power banks with them and have key contact numbers, address, insurance details, and other essential travel information on paper as well as digitally. 

The incident left Indonesia in shock and mourning and is tragically just one of a series of boat-related tragedies to have happened in the country and in the province over the last year.

On 5th June, a fast boat in Bali’s Nusa Lembongan capsized after being hit by a high wave while preparing to depart from Tanjung Sanghyang Port.

Though all 89 passengers and crew on board were evacuated safely, the ordeal left passengers traumatised and triggered the Australian government to update its advice for tourists travelling to the island. 

In an update published on Smartravellers on the 9th June 2025, the Australian travel advice agency shared, “We’ve reviewed our advice for Indonesia and continue to advise exercising a high degree of caution. Australians have drowned in coastal areas due to rough seas and strong rip currents at popular tourist beaches, including in Bali. Many beaches are unpatrolled.”

The advice continued, “Travel by boat or ferry can be dangerous. Commercial and private boat and ferry operators may not comply with international safety and maintenance standards. Australians have been seriously injured or have died in marine transport incidents.”

Tourists are encouraged to keep up to date with the latest weather and wave forecasts during their time in Bali and respond to warnings and advice from the Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency accordingly, as well as heeding advice from major travel and public service authorities in Indonesia as well as updates from embassies and consulates.