Labuan Bajo – A scene of profound and shared grief unfolded in a government office in Labuan Bajo Tuesday night (30/12/2025), as Mar Martinez Ortuno, the wife of missing Valencia CF Women’s B-team coach Fernando Martin Carreras, broke down in the arms of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena.
The emotionally charged moment occurred during a private meeting at the local Harbourmaster’s Office (KSOP), where Governor Laka Lena visited Ms. Martinez and other members of the Fernando family. The family was accompanied by the Deputy Ambassador of Spain, Fernando, highlighting the international dimension of the tragedy that has gripped the local and Spanish communities.
Eyewitnesses described an initial exchange of solemn greetings, with Ms. Martinez appearing composed as she spoke in Spanish. The Governor, speaking in Indonesian, communicated his condolences through an interpreter. However, the weight of the moment soon became unbearable for the grieving wife.
Her composure shattered. Ms. Martinez collapsed to her knees at the Governor’s feet, her body wracked with sobs. Governor Laka Lena immediately crouched down to embrace her, offering a silent, powerful gesture of solace. The quiet office was filled with the sound of her weeping.
As they stood, Ms. Martinez wept openly on the Governor’s shoulder. The Golkar party politician was seen gently patting her back, offering words of comfort and strength. The raw display of sorrow moved other family members present to tears, with onlookers visibly affected by the heart-wrenching scene. “It was devastating to witness,” one observer noted.
Speaking to the press afterward, Governor Laka Lena emphasized that his presence was a representation of both the state and the President of Indonesia, tasked with conveying the nation’s deepest condolences and ensuring an unwavering search effort.
“We met with the victim’s family, the mother and the wider family from Spain and others, and we were also joined by the Deputy Ambassador of Spain,” stated Governor Laka Lena. “Our principle is clear: as the Governor of NTT, the Regent, and our staff, we represent the Republic of Indonesia, we represent the president and the entire administration. We express our deepest condolences for this incident and assure that we are present alongside the rescue team, working together to find the victims.”
The Fernando family were passengers aboard the ill-fated phinisi sailing vessel Putri Sakinah, which sank in the straits near Padar Island in Komodo National Park on the night of Friday, 26th December 2025. While Ms. Martinez and her youngest child survived the tragic incident, her husband, Martin Carreras Fernando, and their two other children remain missing. Their daughter was recovered deceased on Monday morning.
Martin Carreras Fernando was a respected coach for Valencia CF’s Women’s B-team in Spain. The incident has cast a pall over the tourism-dependent region of Labuan Bajo, raising urgent questions about maritime safety protocols for liveaboard tours in the Komodo archipelago, a premier global diving and sailing destination.
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