LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — On the dock of Marina Labuan Bajo under a Sunday morning sun, the human toll of a maritime tragedy came into stark relief. Mar Martínez Ortuno, the wife of Valencia CF coach Fernando Martín Carreras, wept in the arms of her two siblings, her anguish a quiet counterpoint to the organized logistics of a continuing search and rescue operation.
As reported by Detik.com, Mar had arrived at the harbor early to witness the dispatch of additional rescue teams to Padar Island, the site where the pinisi schooner carrying her family sank on Friday night. She and her youngest daughter, Andrea, were among the seven survivors. Her husband, Fernando, and their three other children remain missing.
Initially, Mar appeared composed, speaking with Stephanus Risdiyanto, Head of the Harbormaster and Port Authority (KSOP), to inquire about the search for her family. Her composure broke only when she saw her siblings approaching across the marina. Running to meet them, she collapsed into their embrace, tears she had held back finally flowing freely.
Throughout the morning, the scene repeated itself—Mar clinging to her siblings, tears streaming down her face as she spoke with officials. She was overheard pleading softly with rescue workers, uttering “help, help.” Authorities did not permit her or her family to join the search vessels heading to Padar Island, and she declined interviews, stating she was still in a state of shock.
The ill-fated vessel, the Pinisi Putri Sakinah, was on a short evening transit from Komodo Island to Padar Island within the Komodo National Park when it reportedly suffered engine failure. Approximately thirty minutes into the journey, it was overwhelmed by waves and sank. Of the eleven people on board, the four still missing are Fernando Martín Carreras and his three children: Martines Ortuno Maria Lia, Martin Garcia Mateo, and Martinez Ortuno Enriquejavier.
The survivors include Mar, her daughter Andrea, the ship’s captain Lukman, three crew members, and the tour guide, Valdus. The ongoing search, now in its third day, faces the persistent challenge of dangerous swell conditions in the area, linked to distant tropical storm activity.
For the international community connected to Bali and the wider Indonesian archipelago, this poignant moment at the harbor transcends the statistics of a news report. It is a visceral reminder that behind every travel advisory and weather warning are personal stories, families on holiday, and lives irrevocably changed. The image of a wife and mother awaiting news on a distant pier underscores the profound human vulnerability at the intersection of adventure tourism and the formidable power of nature. The search for her loved ones continues, as does a community’s shared hope for a miracle amidst the waves.
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