TABANAN, Bali — When I Kade Agus Mahendra first saw the video circulating online, he did not immediately think it involved his family.
The footage showed someone drowning at Yeh Gangga Beach.
Then he recognized the boy standing nearby.
It was his son’s friend.
Within hours, Mahendra was standing on Bali’s southwestern coastline searching for signs of his 12 year old son.
The boy, identified only by his initials IKS, remains missing after being swept into the sea on Thursday afternoon while playing near the shoreline at Yeh Gangga Beach in Tabanan.
Nearly two days later, search teams still have not found him.
The Wave
Police say IKS arrived at Yeh Gangga Beach on Thursday afternoon with a friend identified as RMF.
The two boys were playing near the shoreline at approximately 4 PM.
Witnesses say conditions changed quickly.
I Made Pasek Hartono, who was nearby, told authorities he saw the boys swimming close to shore when a large wave suddenly struck.
One boy managed to swim back.
The other disappeared.
“The victim was no longer visible and is believed to have been carried away by the current,” the witness told investigators.
According to police, the surviving friend attempted to pull IKS back toward shore but could not overcome the strength of the water.
Searching The Water
Rescue teams returned Friday morning.
Search crews from search and rescue authorities, disaster management agencies, water police, local police, and community volunteers expanded operations both on land and at sea.
According to rescue commander Dudi Librana Marjaya, crews have searched approximately 2.5 kilometers westward and 1.5 kilometers eastward from the point where the boy disappeared.
Boats.
Drones.
Coastal searches.
None have produced results.
“We deployed boats and drones for observation,” Dudi said.
“So far, nothing has been found.”
Conditions have complicated operations.
High tides continue affecting visibility and sea conditions, while strong winds have limited what crews can safely do offshore.
Search teams say operations may expand further if weather conditions allow.
The Father Waiting On The Beach
Mahendra says he never knew his son had gone to the beach.
His son had only told family members he was visiting a friend’s house.
“If I had known he went to the beach, I would have forbidden it,” Mahendra said.
“He could not swim.”
He arrived at Yeh Gangga Beach at approximately 6:30 PM.
At first he was uncertain.
Several children wore similar clothing.
Then he saw the sandals.
“I doubted the shirt because others looked similar,” he said.
“But when I saw the sandals, I knew they belonged to my son.”
Since then, he has remained near the search area.
Waiting.
Searching Beyond The Physical
While rescue operations continue, the family has also turned toward another form of search.
Relatives conducted a Balinese Hindu ritual known as mapakeling, asking permission and spiritual guidance from Dewa Baruna, the deity associated with the sea.
The ceremony took place both at Pura Batu Bolong and near the location where IKS is believed to have disappeared.
For many Balinese families, spiritual rituals and physical efforts are not treated as separate responses to tragedy.
They happen together.
Yeh Gangga And Bali’s Open Coastlines
Yeh Gangga is known locally for strong surf and changing ocean conditions.
Unlike more sheltered beaches, parts of Bali’s western and southwestern coastlines face directly toward the Indian Ocean, where wave conditions can change quickly.
Local authorities continue advising visitors and residents to remain cautious, particularly during periods of strong swell, changing tides, and windy conditions.
As rescue teams continue searching, the immediate reality remains unchanged.
The boats are still moving.
The drones are still flying.
And one father is still waiting.
