A Spanish football coach and his three young children are missing and feared dead after a tourist boat sank in rough seas off the coast of Indonesia.
Search and Rescue Operation Underway
The vessel was carrying 11 people when it capsized and sank in the Padar Island Strait near the popular tourist destination of Labuan Bajo on Friday. Four crew members, a tour guide, and two Spanish tourists were rescued from the water.
The survivors include the wife and youngest daughter of the missing man, Fernando Martín. The 44-year-old, who trains Valencia CF's Women's B team, was on the trip with his three children: Elia, 12, Kike, 10, and Mateo, nine. His wife, Andrea, and their seven-year-old daughter, Mar, were saved.
Family's Heartbreaking Ordeal
Andrea's father, Enrique Ortuno, who manages a restaurant in Valencia, confirmed the devastating news to local media. He revealed that his daughter and youngest granddaughter were thrown from the boat because they were standing on higher ground, but he fears his son-in-law and three other grandchildren were trapped as the boat broke apart.
"The bodies must be at the bottom of the sea and they'll be difficult to recover unless there's a miracle," Mr Ortuno told Valencian newspaper Las Provincias. He added that this was the family's first major overseas holiday together, describing them as avid travellers and sports enthusiasts who had previously holidayed mainly within Spain.
Club Pays Tribute
Valencia Football Club issued a statement on social media expressing profound sadness. "Valencia CF is deeply saddened by the death of Fernando Martín, coach of Valencia CF Women's B team, and three of his children in a tragic boating accident in Indonesia, as confirmed by local authorities," the post read.
The club extended its support and condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues affected. Despite the club's statement, there were conflicting reports that rescue teams in Indonesia would restart the search for the missing on Saturday.
Fernando Martín had been appointed manager of Valencia Women's B team at the start of this year. The family left behind two younger grandchildren, including a baby, who were being cared for by their grandparents in Spain during the holiday.
