This search ended with good news. Captain I Nyoman Budiana and crew members Keristino Sahreza Avendi Da and Niko Demios Landena were confirmed safe and in good health after rescuers in Banyuwangi checked them at Puger Beach on Wednesday night.
01 What happened to the Baliman speedboat
The incident began on Saturday 12 September in waters around Manta Point, Nusa Penida, when the Baliman speedboat suffered engine failure. BASARNAS Denpasar said its initial report that evening identified captain I Nyoman Budiana as the person believed to be missing, and a rescue team was sent toward the boat's last known position.
When rescuers reached that position, the speedboat was no longer there. Later information established that three people were aboard: Budiana and crew members Keristino Sahreza Avendi Da and Niko Demios Landena.
That evolving information is worth noting because the early search picture was incomplete. The final verified outcome is clear: all three people aboard were found alive.
02 How the three crew were found
According to statements attributed to Denpasar Search and Rescue Office head I Nyoman Sidakarya, officials received information at around 21:06 WITA on Wednesday 16 September that local fishers had helped bring the three crew members to Puger Beach, East Java.
Sidakarya then coordinated with the Banyuwangi Search and Rescue Office. Four rescue personnel were dispatched to Puger to verify the report and check the men's condition. The Banyuwangi team subsequently confirmed that Budiana, Keristino and Niko were safe and in good health.
The crew were due to be collected by family on Thursday 17 September. Reports said the speedboat itself was still near an offshore fishing-aggregation area known as Rumpon Bleduk, about 42 nautical miles from the coast.
03 The search stretched across five days
Wednesday was the fifth day of the operation. RIB 02 Denpasar left Benoa Port in the morning for the designated search area, while family representatives also joined the effort. Search planners used wind, current and sea information to estimate where the boat and crew might have moved.
More than a dozen local fishing boats assisted and authorities maintained coordination with VTS Benoa for information about vessels passing through the wider search area.
Earlier phases of the operation had also involved sea and air resources. BASARNAS said the second-day search included a marine search unit and aerial support, reflecting the difficulty of locating a small disabled vessel in open water.
04 Sea conditions made the search harder
Reports from the search described waves of roughly 2–4 metres and challenging open-water conditions. Those conditions can complicate both the movement of a disabled boat and the task of keeping a search pattern accurate over several days.
The search continued despite those conditions, with coordination across Denpasar and Banyuwangi SAR teams, local fishers, family members and other maritime agencies.
For travellers, the incident is also a reminder that sea conditions around Nusa Penida can change quickly. It does not mean normal Nusa Penida boat services are suspended, but anyone travelling by sea should follow operator and harbour advice, especially when high-wave warnings are active.
05 What this means for Bali residents and travellers
The immediate story is a successful rescue outcome: the three missing crew members are alive and were medically checked after being located in East Java.
For residents working on the water, the search shows how quickly an engine failure can turn into a large multi-agency operation when a vessel loses contact. For visitors heading to Nusa Penida, Manta Point or nearby islands, it is a useful prompt to treat weather and sea-state guidance seriously and to use established operators with functioning communications and safety equipment.
There is no verified basis for treating this incident as a blanket warning against Nusa Penida travel. The practical takeaway is narrower: check conditions on the day, follow harbour or operator instructions, and expect marine plans to change when seas are rough.
