LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — In a case that continues to raise difficult questions about maritime safety in one of Indonesia’s most iconic destinations, new courtroom testimony has introduced a critical detail: the tourist vessel that sank in Komodo waters may not have been under the captain’s control in the hours before it went down.
Andrea Ortuño Ripoll, a survivor of the KM Putri Sakinah sinking and the wife of a Valencia women’s football coach, told the Labuan Bajo District Court that a young crew member—not the captain—was steering the boat prior to the incident that claimed the lives of her husband and three children.
Her testimony, delivered remotely from Spain via video link, adds a new dimension to an ongoing trial that has already drawn attention far beyond Indonesia’s borders.
A Key Detail Emerges in Court
Responding to questions from the presiding judge, Andrea described what she observed in the hours leading up to the disaster on December 26, 2025, in the waters near Padar Island within Komodo National Park.
“As far as I remember, it was a young crew member who was steering the boat,” she said through a Spanish interpreter present in the courtroom.
When asked to identify the individual, Andrea pointed to one of the defendants—a 22-year-old crew member—after the court directed a camera toward the accused.
The individual she identified, Muhamad Alif Latifa N. Djudje, served as the vessel’s chief engineer, not its captain.
A Shift in Responsibility
The distinction matters.
In maritime operations, command of a vessel typically rests with the captain, particularly in challenging conditions. The suggestion that a non-captain crew member was at the helm raises questions about protocol, oversight, and whether standard operating procedures were followed.
Andrea told the court that the young crew member had been steering the vessel since late afternoon—around sunset—hours before the boat encountered the conditions that led to its sinking.
Evidence Captured Before the Incident
In a detail that could prove significant, Andrea said she had recorded video footage showing the crew member operating the vessel earlier that day.
According to her testimony, the video has already been submitted to investigators during earlier questioning in Labuan Bajo.
While the contents of that footage have not yet been publicly disclosed in court, its existence introduces potential visual evidence into a case that has so far relied heavily on witness accounts and technical assessments.
A Tragedy Under Scrutiny
The sinking of KM Putri Sakinah occurred at approximately 8:00 p.m. local time, when the vessel was reportedly struck by strong waves. Andrea and her youngest child survived, but her husband, Fernando Martin Carreras, and their three other children did not.
The case has since evolved into a broader legal and public examination of safety practices in Indonesia’s maritime tourism sector.
Two individuals are currently on trial: the ship’s captain, Lukman, and the crew member identified by Andrea, Alif. Both face charges related to negligence resulting in loss of life.
Beyond the Courtroom
For Labuan Bajo—a gateway to the Komodo National Park and a flagship destination in Indonesia’s tourism strategy—the implications extend well beyond a single incident.
The case has highlighted the complex balance between rapid tourism growth and the systems required to support it safely. For international visitors, it underscores a reality that often remains unspoken: behind the promise of adventure lies an infrastructure that must be held to consistent and rigorous standards.
