A ferry fire off the Indonesian coast has claimed the lives of at least three people, including a pregnant woman, while over 560 passengers and crew were rescued. The tragedy unfolded [insert date and location details, e.g., on the morning of October 26th near the island of Batam], as the [Ferry name] caught fire. Initial reports suggest the blaze erupted [insert details about the suspected cause of the fire, if available, e.g., in the engine room], quickly engulfing parts of the vessel. Passengers described scenes of panic as flames spread, forcing many to jump overboard into the water. The swift response of nearby ships and Indonesian authorities prevented a greater loss of life. Rescuers pulled survivors from the water, many suffering from smoke inhalation and burns. The three confirmed fatalities were recovered from the scene. The pregnant woman’s death is particularly heartbreaking, highlighting the devastating impact of the incident. The exact number of injured remains unclear, with reports indicating various degrees of severity. Many survivors are receiving medical attention at local hospitals. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess the safety protocols onboard the ferry. This incident underscores the safety concerns surrounding maritime transport in Indonesia, a vast archipelago reliant on ferries for inter-island travel. Questions are likely to be raised about the vessel's maintenance, fire safety measures, and emergency procedures. The tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in sea travel and the importance of robust safety regulations and enforcement.
Mandao, Indonesia — Indonesian rescuers evacuating people from a passenger ferry that caught fire at sea said Monday more than 560 were rescued and three died.
The KM Barcelona 5 caught fire around midday Sunday while heading to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, on its regular half-day journey from Melonguane port in Talaud Islands district in the same province, according to First Adm. Franky Pasuna Sihombing, chief of the Manado navy base.
A coast guard ship, six rescue vessels and several inflatable boats were deployed in the rescue operation, Sihombing said. The crews pulled many people from the sea and took them to nearby islands, and local fishermen also saved some survivors wearing life jackets as they were drifting in the choppy waters.
Photos and videos circulated on social media showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.
The search and rescue operation was continuing, though there were no immediate reports of people still missing. Authorities previously said five people had died, but the National Search and Rescue Agency revised it to three early Monday after two passengers initially reported as dead were saved in a hospital, including a 2-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater.
The fire that began in the ferry's stern was extinguished within an hour, Sihombing said. The ferry's manifest initially registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, but the national rescue agency confirmed 568 survivors had been rescued and three bodies recovered, including a pregnant woman.
It is common for the number of passengers on a boat or ferry to differ from the manifest in Indonesia. This discrepancy can contribute to accidents and can complicate search and rescue efforts, Sihombing said.
The capacity of the ferry is 600 people.
Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters , with weak safety enforcement often blamed.
A speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm July 14, and all its occupants were rescued by the next day. Earlier in the month, a ferry sank near Indonesia's resort island of Bali, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 600 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.
