Labuan Bajo, Indonesia — In a development that brings a heartbreaking measure of clarity to a days-long search, Indonesian authorities have confirmed that a body recovered from the waters of Komodo National Park is that of a child belonging to the Spanish family lost in last week’s ferry disaster.
The body, discovered by a local fisherman on Monday morning near Serai Island, has been identified as one of the daughters of Fernando Martín Carreras, the missing coach of Valencia CF’s women’s B team. The confirmation was made by Budi Widjaja, chairman of a local tourism association who has been assisting the family.
“‘(The identification result) confirms it is one of the victim’s children,” Widjaja stated on Monday afternoon. The child’s mother, Mar Martínez Ortuno, and her youngest sister were survivors of the sinking and have been in Labuan Bajo awaiting news.
A Scientific Process for a Tragic Task
The identification followed a formal antemortem procedure conducted by forensic police. This anticipatory step, standard in disaster response, involved collecting physical descriptions and biological samples—such as DNA—from surviving family members before any remains were found. This data provides a scientific baseline to expedite and confirm identification, a process the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Police described as a “crucial part of handling a humanitarian disaster.”
The Search Continues Amid Challenging Conditions
The confirmation narrows, but does not end, the ongoing search. Fernando Martín Carreras and two of his other children remain missing. The Pinisi Putri Sakinah sank rapidly on Friday night during a short transit between islands. Initial police investigations indicate the vessel suffered engine failure and was then overwhelmed by waves up to three meters high, linked to a distant tropical weather system.
“The weather situation was very extreme at the time of the incident,” said Kombes Henry Novika Chandra, Head of Public Relations for the NTT Police. “The ship experienced engine failure and was hit by high waves until it capsized and sank quickly. The preliminary suspicion is that some victims were trapped inside the cabin.”
The joint search and rescue (SAR) operation, involving over 100 personnel, has now been expanded to a radius of 5.25 nautical miles. Teams are utilising sonar systems, underwater drones (ROVs), and professional police divers to locate the remaining missing and the sunken vessel itself.
VIDEO | Mother’s Grief at Labuan Bajo Harbor as Body of Missing Child From Valencia Coach’s Family Is Evacuatedhttps://t.co/al5ppKTwYz#Video#Komodo#LabuanBajo#PutriSakinah#SearchAndRescue pic.twitter.com/fkUjetCOjK
— Hey Bali (@Heybaliinfo) December 29, 2025
