Jakarta, ThedailyID — A 6-meter whale shark was found stranded alive on Parangkusumo Beach in Bantul, Yogyakarta, on Sunday morning, October 18, 2026. Rescue teams and local residents have struggled to return the animal to the sea.
Bantul Police Public Relations Officer First Inspector Rita Hidayanto said a local resident discovered the whale shark at around 5 a.m. The resident then reported the incident to the Yogyakarta Regional Police’s Water and Air Police Search and Rescue post.
Officers from the post and the Region III SAR Linmas team quickly headed to the beach to inspect the site. They also coordinated with the Yogyakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to determine the next steps.
However, initial rescue attempts failed. Officers and residents tried pushing the whale shark back into deeper water, but its large size and the receding tide made the effort difficult.
“As the fish is quite large and the sea level has started to recede, the effort has not succeeded,” Rita said in a statement on Sunday.
As of Sunday afternoon, the whale shark remained stranded along the shoreline. Rescue teams were still waiting for further coordination and guidance from BKSDA Yogyakarta.
Rita stressed that rescuing a large marine animal requires careful handling to protect the animal, rescue personnel, and nearby residents. She also urged the public to keep their distance and avoid attempting to handle the whale shark themselves.
Authorities and relevant agencies continue to coordinate their response as efforts to determine the next rescue steps remain underway.
