Jakarta. Relatives of four Spanish tourists missing off eastern Indonesia are traveling to the country to monitor and support ongoing search efforts, a family spokesperson said on Sunday, as rescue teams continue to battle challenging sea conditions.

Álvaro Ortuno, speaking on behalf of the family, said relatives are en route to Indonesia to join the search and will provide official updates as soon as they become available.

“Our family members are traveling to Indonesia to take part in and support the search efforts,” Ortuno said. “We will share any confirmed information as quickly as possible.”

Ortuno expressed deep gratitude for the strong moral support shown by the public in both Indonesia and Spain, while praising the commitment of Indonesian security authorities and the assistance provided by Spain’s diplomatic corps in responding to the incident.

“From the very beginning, Indonesian authorities and security forces have shown full commitment to this search. We are extremely grateful for their dedication,” he said.

The Martin family, he added, is placing great hope in the work of rescue teams and has urged that search operations continue until all missing relatives are found.

“We trust that the teams will continue working tirelessly until they are located,” Ortuno said.

As of the third day of operations on Sunday afternoon, search and rescue teams had yet to determine the whereabouts of the four missing tourists. Strong ocean currents and the vast search area have emerged as the main challenges.

The search is set to resume on Monday morning, with authorities expanding the sweep radius in waters surrounding Padar Island and Komodo Island. Port authorities are also coordinating with commercial vessels and local fishing boats passing through the area to report any signs of the missing individuals.

According to Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office in East Nusa Tenggara, the vessel was carrying six family members, four crew members, and a local guide when it sank during a trip from Komodo Island to Padar Island after suffering engine failure on Dec. 26.

Two survivors — the Spanish mother and one daughter — were rescued, while the father, two sons, and another daughter remain missing, he said.

Rahman added that three people were rescued by a passing vessel, while four others were later picked up by search and rescue teams.