Indonesia Intensifies Search for Missing Crew After Musaffah II Explosion

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian government, through its representatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, continues to coordinate with local authorities and the shipping company to search for three Indonesian citizens who went missing following the explosion of the tugboat Musaffah II in the Strait of Hormuz. Spokesperson of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yvonne Mewengkang, said the coordination aims to support the search efforts for the victims and ensure proper handling of the Indonesian crew members who survived.

“Currently, Indonesia’s representatives in the UAE and Oman are intensively coordinating with local authorities and the shipping company to search for the three missing Indonesian crew members and to ensure medical treatment for the surviving Indonesian crew. We also continue to update the victims’ families in Indonesia on the latest developments,” Yvonne said in an official statement in Jakarta on Sunday, 8 March 2026.

She also stated that the Indonesian government is encouraging a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the explosion on the vessel. “Authorities in the UAE and Oman are still investigating the cause of the incident,” Yvonne said.

In the incident, three Indonesian crew members are still missing and are currently being searched for by local authorities. Meanwhile, one Indonesian crew member suffered burn injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Khasab, Oman. Another Indonesian citizen working as a technician was reported safe and is now in Abu Dhabi.

“The status of the Indonesian nationals is as follows: one Indonesian crew member is receiving treatment for burn injuries at a hospital in Khasab, Oman, and one Indonesian technician who survived has arrived in Abu Dhabi, while three Indonesian crew members are still being searched for by local authorities,” Yvonne conveyed.

Yvonne said the tugboat Musaffah II was crewed by seven sailors, including four Indonesian citizens working as crew members. The vessel was also carrying six technicians, including one Indonesian technician.

She explained that the incident occurred on Friday, March 6, 2026, at around 02:00 local time, when the tugboat was conducting an inspection of the container ship Safeen Prestige, which had experienced technical problems in the Strait of Hormuz. Based on eyewitness accounts, the Musaffah II exploded and caught fire.

“At the time of the incident, four Indonesian crew members were on board the Musaffah II, while one Indonesian technician was on the container ship Safeen Prestige,” Yvonne said.

Yvonne also urged all Indonesian citizens in the Middle East, including Indonesian crew members working on ships, to remain vigilant amid the evolving situation. She added that Indonesians are advised to monitor developments through official sources and maintain communication with the nearest Indonesian representative offices.