Overview
- A court in Labuan Bajo on Monday sentenced captain Lukman to three years and six months in prison and chief engineer Muhammad Alif Ratifa to two years and six months for causing multiple deaths by gross negligence.
- The tribunal told the defendants they may appeal within seven days and that time already spent in pretrial detention will be deducted from their sentences.
- Judges concluded the captain had delegated navigation to an unlicensed crew member and chose a night crossing despite warnings about strong currents, high waves and dangerous conditions.
- The court found a pattern of operational failures including no passenger safety briefing, unclear instructions about lifejackets, no evacuation procedures, slow crew response, and evidence that required certificates were obtained irregularly.
- The ship KM Putri Sakinah sank near Padar Island on Dec. 26, 2025, leaving two survivors from a Spanish family and four relatives dead or later recovered, and the ruling is likely to draw closer scrutiny of Indonesia's maritime-tourism safety and certification practices.