Indonesian search teams have recovered a second body as the hunt continues for a Spanish football coach and two of his children missing since a tour boat sank on 26 December in eastern Indonesia. The vessel, carrying Valencia CF Women’s B coach Fernando Martín, 44, his wife, their four children, four crew and a local guide, suffered engine failure near Komodo National Park.
The body was spotted drifting near Padar Island, roughly 2km from the sinking site, according to Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue (SAR) Office. It has not yet been formally identified but is believed to be one of the missing family members. Forensic teams at a hospital in Labuan Bajo are working to establish its identity.
Rescuers saved Martín’s wife and one child, along with the guide and all crew, within hours of the sinking. However, Martín and three of his children – a boy aged nine, another aged ten, and a 12-year-old girl – were reported missing. The first victim, the 12-year-old girl, was found three days after the incident, identified through medical and family confirmation.
Mr Rahman said the Spanish government has been closely involved, with the ambassador requesting continued search reinforcements in a letter on 31 December. Indonesian law typically limits search operations to seven days, but an extension to 4 January has been granted. “We are determined to find all the victims,” Mr Rahman stated, adding that the team remains optimistic.
The operation, now in its tenth day, involves more than 160 personnel from police and navy, using inflatable boats, navy ships, and rescue vessels with sonar and underwater navigation gear. Divers are also deployed across four sectors in Komodo National Park waters. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its rugged landscapes and Komodo dragons.
Boats are a common form of transport in Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, but accidents are frequent due to lax safety standards and overcrowding.
