LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — A ten-day multinational search operation in the waters of Komodo National Park reached a solemn turning point on the morning of Sunday, January 4, 2026, with the recovery of a body believed to be that of missing Valencia CF coach Fernando Martín Carreras.
The discovery, confirmed by East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Regional Police, occurred at precisely 08:47 a.m. local time during a continuation sweep by the joint search and rescue (SAR) task force. The body of an adult male, identified as a Spanish national, was found floating in the Padar Strait, approximately 1.13 nautical miles (about 2 kilometers) from the location where the tourist vessel KM Putri Sakinah sank on December 26.
“The body was discovered around 08:47 WITA in the waters of the Padar Strait, in the Komodo National Park area, while the joint SAR team was conducting a follow-up sweep around the incident location of the sunken ship,” stated Kombes Pol. Henry Novika Chandra, Head of Public Relations for NTT Police.
The recovery operation was executed with precision and dignity. The body was retrieved by personnel and evacuated aboard the Basarnas vessel KN SAR Punta Dewa. By 10:15 a.m., it had arrived at Labuan Bajo harbor and was immediately transferred to Komodo General Hospital.
“A visum et repertum and identification process by the medical team and the NTT Police Health Bureau is now being carried out in accordance with Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) procedures,” Henry added, emphasizing that the entire process was conducted professionally, humanely, and in close coordination with the family and relevant agencies.
This development brings a tragic resolution to one part of the search that has mobilized over 150 personnel and sophisticated technology across a vast maritime area. However, the mission is not over. The joint SAR team has immediately refocused its efforts on the two individuals who remain missing: the coach’s two young sons. The search continues in the challenging waters around Padar and Rinca Islands, where strong currents have complicated operations since the vessel’s sinking over a week ago.
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