“Indonesian rescuers are searching for a speedboat carrying 11 European tourists and two local crew members that went missing off a bay on Sulawesi island,” officials said on Saturday (July 25, 2026).
“The vessel departed from Tanjung Unauna regency on Friday (July 24, 2026), bound for Marisa Port in the neighbouring Gorontalo province but failed to arrive as scheduled,” said Heriyanto, Head of the Gorontalo Province Search and Rescue Office.
“A local tour guide reported the missing boat to the search and rescue office at 3:40 p.m. on Friday (July 24, 2026), prompting an immediate search operation,” said Mr. Heriyanto, who, like many Indonesians, uses a single name. “Concerns arose when their speedboat had not arrived by afternoon,” Mr. Heriyanto said.
“We immediately launched a search mission overnight but until now have not found any signs" of the vessel or people on board.
A Czech man, a Belgian man, five Dutch nationals, three Germans, a French woman and two Indonesian crew members were on board, according to Indonesian authorities.
Mr. Heriyanto said dozens of search-and-rescue teams were deployed in a search operation covering approximately 300 square nautical miles of waters along and around Tomini Bay based on the tour boat's route projections. “A thermal-imaging drone and diving equipment are also being used in the search,” he said.
Indonesia's meteorological agency forecast generally clear skies in the area, but rescuers on Saturday (July 25, 2026), have faced challenging sea conditions, including strong winds and waves reaching up to 2.5 metres high.
Published - July 25, 2026 01:26 pm IST