(7/21/2007)
According to the Indonesian-language NusaBali, four German tourists had a "close call" on Wednesday, July 18, 2007, when the vessel they were using for a diving expedition ran out of fuel and then sunk off Bali's southern coast.
Sea Rover, a vessel operated by Yos Adventures, was sailing from Nusa Penida to its home port of Benoa when the ship ran out of fuel in heavy seas. Strong currents and large wave began to pull the powerless ship towards the rocky shores of Bali's Nusa Dua as the boat's Captain, I Wayan Tirta, put out a distress call to local Water Police.
Fortunately, search and rescue personnel were able to find the ship adrift 2 miles from Bali's shore, in a location opposite the Nikko Bali Resort and Spa. The rescue team managed to evacuate four German nationals and the crew from the ship, before unsuccessfully attempting to take the larger boat under tow. With the rescue boat underpowered to provide an effective tow to the larger ship, rescue personnel were eventually forced to abandon efforts to pull the idle ship to port.
Local press reports state that the ship with an estimated value of Rp. 200 million (approximately US$21,800) eventually sunk near a local reef of Bali's south coast.
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