Wahyudi, 45, a travel driver from Dusun Kedonen, Desa Bomo, Kecamatan Blimbingsari, Banyuwangi, is one of the 30 survivors of the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, which tragically sank in the Bali Strait. In a heartfelt recounting, he reflects on the terrifying ordeal and how he narrowly escaped death. The incident, which he describes not as an experience but as a bitter chapter he never wishes to revisit, lingers vividly in his memory. Sitting cross-legged on a foldable mattress in his modest living room, he welcomes the arrival of family and neighbors, ready to share his harrowing story.
The fatal accident in the Bali Strait on the night of 7 Suro still haunts him, with the frantic cries of dozens of people aboard the sinking vessel echoing in his ears. Taking a deep breath, he begins to narrate the anguish of that fateful night. As the ship tilted and water rushed into the hull, Wahyudi found himself trapped in the narrow confines of the vessel. With no light to guide him, he had to remain calm and quickly search for an escape before the ferry was completely submerged.
“I breathed slowly between the narrow spaces in the ship and dove down again, hoping to find an exit before the entire vessel went under. Inside, it was pitch black—no light whatsoever. I felt my way along the metal structures, unsure of where I was,” he recounted to his guests, including reporters from detikJatim, on July 10, 2025.
Before becoming a travel driver, Wahyudi had spent years fishing, accustomed to the sea’s depths and diving with a compressor. This experience equipped him to handle the panic of being trapped in a dark, cramped space. His eyes stung, and his heart raced as he gradually regulated his breathing while trying to shield his eyes from the salty water. In those moments, he relied on his instincts, continuing to navigate the tight quarters with his eyes closed, resilient even as his head struck metal beams multiple times.
“I crawled slowly, bumping my head against the metal about four times. Luckily, I didn’t pass out,” he shared, recounting the determination that drove him onward. His perseverance paid off; eventually, he discovered more space around him, signaling that he was moving away from the constricted area. Relief washed over him as he realized he was closer to an exit.
He burst out of the vessel and swam toward the surface, distancing himself from the wreckage of KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya. Waves crashed against him, but he remained resolute, paddling away from the site of the disaster. Nearing the surface, Wahyudi spotted a piece of timber about a meter long. Grabbing hold of it, he continued to navigate the water, fortuitously discovering a helmet that had floated by, which he used as a flotation device. There was no time to grab the life jackets from the sinking ship.
“After that, I clung to the wooden piece for support, then found the helmet and used it to help me stay afloat,” Wahyudi explained. Once he was afloat in the open sea, he shouted for help with all his might, but no one appeared. Then, in the distance, he glimpsed a boat—estimated to be about seven meters away. Determined, he put in every ounce of effort to paddle toward it.
“I yelled for help, thinking the boat was much closer than it actually was. I saw a rubber boat and managed to climb aboard along with 15 other men and one woman,” he said. For seven grueling hours, Wahyudi and the other survivors drifted in the water, aimlessly. As dawn approached, they attempted to row toward the shore, relying on their knowledge of the Bali Strait geography. Their primary goal was simply to reach dry land.
“I swam for about an hour, then spent seven hours on the rubber boat before we finally spotted land, which was near Cekik Beach.” Despite the turmoil swirling in his mind, Wahyudi paddled tirelessly, ultimately surviving with a group of fellow castaways. While the trauma of that night remains etched in his heart, it hasn’t diminished his spirit or commitment to his work as a travel driver.
