Jakarta. Fernando Martín, a coach with Spanish football club Valencia FC’s women’s team, and three of his children are missing after their boat sank off Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara on Friday evening.

In a social media post, Valencia FC expressed condolences, saying local authorities had confirmed the deaths. Search efforts for the victims continued on Sunday.

The vessel was carrying six family members, four crew members, and a local guide when it went down during a trip from Komodo Island to Padar Island after suffering engine failure, according to Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office.

The survivors included the Spanish mother and one daughter. The father, two sons and another daughter were missing, he said.

He said three people were rescued by a passing vessel, and four others were picked up by a search and rescue team. The survivors included the Spanish mother and one daughter. 

However, Rahman said the search was suspended Saturday evening because of bad weather and poor visibility and will resume early Sunday.

“Our teams have been combing the northern waters of Padar Island until dusk,” Rahman said. “We are determined to find the victims.”

Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and the endangered Komodo dragon. The park attracts thousands of visitors for diving, trekking and wildlife tours.

The survivors were treated at the port office in Labuan Bajo city as strong waves up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) high and darkness hampered emergency responders overnight, Rahman said.

The search involved multiple rescue units in inflatable boats, a navy vessel with diving equipment and a rescue ship, with the assistance of local fishermen and residents. It was centered on a 5-nautical-mile (9-kilometer) radius of the sinking site, where rescuers found the boat debris, Rahman said.

Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where boats are a common form of transportation. With lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding, accidents occur frequently.

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