89 Tourists Survive Bali Boat Crash

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, Worthy News

DENPASAR, INDONESIA (Worthy News) – Scores of tourists in Indonesia’s province of Bali are happy to be alive after their boat sank in the waters of Mushroom Bay.

The popular bay on the west coast of Nusa Lembongan, a small island off the coast of Bali but part of the province, was the destination of The Tanis vessel with a capacity of 125 people.

The Tanis carried a total of 89 passengers when tragedy struck, and everyone miraculously survived, authorities of Indonesia’s only Hindu-majority province confirmed Saturday.

Among those on board were 77 foreign nationals and 12 Indonesian citizens, Worthy News learned. “At around 18.30, the evacuation process for all passengers was completed with all passengers safe and no fatalities,” said Head of Public Relations of the Bali Police, Senior Commissioner Ariasandy, in published remarks.

According to a reconstruction of Wednesday’s incident, the ship had departed from Tanjung Sanghyang Port in Lembongan Village, heading to the Sanur Port of Denpasar, Bali’s capital.

Footage reviewed by Worthy News showed several passengers at the back of the ship kicking the window until it broke, saving themselves through the gap. Several were seen falling into the water.

However, watching the incident, “the surrounding community immediately tried to evacuate all passengers on the ship,” witnesses said.

TWO DIVERS

The ship also involved two divers to ensure that no victims were trapped inside or on the seabed, according to sources familiar with the case.

The ship’s condition was declared very good because it had only been operating for about three months. There were no reports of previous accidents on the ship. However, shortly after sailing, a disaster occurred when the boat dropped off passengers at Mushroom Bay beach.

According to investigators, the position of the ship’s bow touched the beach, and then a large wave hit the back of the boat, causing a large amount of water to enter the vessel.

“As a result, the ship tilted to the left so that it lost its balance and finally capsized in a location not far from the shore,” witnesses said.

The ship’s captain tried to move the boat into the middle of the sea. “Unfortunately, the ship, which was already full of water, accompanied by the passengers’ panic, lost stability and finally tilted until it sank,” investigators said.

While everyone survived, questions are expected about safety measures and the seaworthiness of these and other vessels in Bali, which hosts millions of tourists.

In 2024, Bali saw 6.3 million international tourists, surpassing its pre-pandemic peak of 6.28 million in 2019, according to official data.

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