Indonesia ends search for young Quique after 15 days of sea search

As the third extension of the search effort drew to a close this Friday, there is still no trace of 10-year-old Quique, the final person missing following the tragic sinking of an excursion boat in Indonesia on December 26.

The disaster claimed the lives of four members of a single family from Valencia: young Mateo and Lía, and their relative Fernando Martín, a prominent coach for Valencia CF’s women’s team..

What looks like being the final day of searching for the boy's body began with what, unfortunately, has been the general trend of recent days: rough seas and weather that does nothing to help the search work done by the already exhausted rescue teams. However, according to reports from Indonesia, there is still no news of finding the last child - Quique is still missing.

"We have searched everywhere, both in the water and along the shores, anywhere we believe his body might be, but unfortunately we have found no trace," said Budi Widjaja, who is assisting the missing boy's family.

The local authorities plan to analyse the latest data from the search and, if they decide to terminate it, to organise a memorial ceremony for the victims this Friday afternoon (local time) in the port of Labuan Bajo, from where part of the search has been coordinated.

The family's pleas for "one more try" have kept the complex search for the boy's body going in an attempt to bring some peace to these people, so devastated by their loss.

"We have to keep trying until the very last minute," said Eko, one of the rescuers on duty, before setting sail early this morning for the designated search area.

Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office and coordinator of the search mission, told local news outlet Hey Bali News that adverse sea conditions continued to hamper operations. "Strong currents, high waves and heavy rain hampered today's search (Thursday)," he said from the SAR command post in Labuan Bajo's marina: "Sea conditions remain challenging."

As the currents shifted, rescue teams broadened their focus beyond surface searches and diving operations. On Thursday, teams also searched areas on land, including around Serai Island, where rescuers believe the boy may have been washed ashore.

With hopes dwindling of recovering the last missing person and in remembrance of all who perished, the family, according to this Indonesian media outlet, held a private flower-scattering ceremony at the site where the Putri Sakinah sank (the boat they were on that capsized in bad weather). The ritual was conducted from a boat provided by the Indonesian National Police.

Meanwhile, the investigation also continues to determine the responsibility of those who organised and ran the excursion that ended in such tragedy. On Thursday it emerged that an investigation has been opened into possible negligence against the boat's captain and a crew member.

Meanwhile, according to local media reports, maritime tourism operations in Labuan Bajo have resumed after a two-week suspension that coincided with the search for the victims of the KM Putri Sakinah shipwreck.

The local authorities gave the green light for boats to sail to Komodo National Park and surrounding destinations starting this Friday 9 January 2026, citing forecasts of improved weather conditions.

The decision, according to media outlets such as Hey Bali News, ends a period of enforced downtime for the port city, whose economy depends almost entirely on boats transporting tourists to see the area's famous Komodo dragons and diving sites. The suspension was initially imposed due to forecasts of high waves and bad weather.

Furthermore, as a measure to improve maritime safety, the Labuan Bajo port authority has banned all tourist boats from sailing at night. The new regulation, also announced this Friday 9 January, requires vessels operating in Komodo National Park waters to anchor at nightfall.