Five dead as fire engulfs Indonesia ferry
Passenger ferry KMIII Barcelona was on its way to Manado, the capital of the North Sulawesi province, when it was overcome by flames.
The vessel was thought to be carrying near to 300 people when the incident occurred near Talise Island, north of Sulawesi island.
Dramatic footage has emerged from the incident filmed by a survivor from the water. It was posted onto the social media account of Abdul Rahman Agu who it's stated is from Manando.
He appears to be filming while holding a toddler in his arms.
The video, which lasts almost 30 minutes, shows flames overtaking much of the boat's upper decks. Scores of people can be seen in the water in life jackets while others jump overboard.
The man filming can be heard saying: 'Help, the KM Barcelona is on fire. There are still many people on board.'
'We are burning at sea … we need help fast,' he adds.
Clinging to a baby, he could be heard trying to calm other passengers who also jumped overboard.
At one point a rescue boat from the stricken ship comes up to the person filming and takes the child. The boat appears to be solely for children.
The man is then picked up a few minutes later by another vessel.
Indonesia's coast guard confirmed five people died in the watery inferno.
On Sunday, VIII/Manado Naval Base Commander Commodore May Franky Pasuna Sihombing said 280 passengers were evacuated by officers.
'Reports indicate that the ship caught fire between 12 noon and 1pm local time,' Manado Search and Rescue Office's public relations official Nuriadin Gumeleng said, noting that one deceased victim, a pregnant woman, had already been brought ashore.
Fishermen also helped evacuate the victims to nearby islands.
No cause for the fire has been given for the fire.
Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the Southeast Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards or bad weather.
The ferry sinking en route to Bali this month was attributed to bad weather. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person.
In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Indonesian ferry passengers jump from vessel amid deadly fire in North Sulawesi
A passenger ferry fire in the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi has killed at least three people, with video showing people jumping from the burning ship into the ocean. Footage taken on Sunday afternoon shows a pillar of smoke billowing from the ship, in waters north of Manado, as terrified people try to escape the enormous blaze. Dozens of people can be seen floating in the ocean, watching the KM Barcelona 5 ferry as it burns. In a statement, Indonesia's national search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, said teams were still working at the scene. "The SAR team is currently combing the waters around the fire site to ensure no passengers are left behind or adrift at sea," it said. "In addition to the Basarnas team, other potential SAR elements, including the Indonesian Navy, the Water Police (Polairud), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and local fishermen, are also assisting in the rescue process." It is understood local fishermen raced out by boat to help rescue those who evacuated the burning ferry. The agency says at least three people have been killed, while local officials say at least five are dead. More than 280 people were on board when it caught fire, with the cause not yet known. The ferry was travelling to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi. On social media, one man live streamed the enormous ferry fire while he was carrying a small child in his other hand. As an archipelago country, thousands of passenger ferries move people around Indonesia from island to island daily, with disasters occurring regularly. On July 15 in West Sumatra, 11 people who were missing at sea following a boat capsize were found alive after they swam six hours to the nearest island. A ferry near Bali sank earlier this month, killing at least 18 people.
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Five dead as fire engulfs Indonesia ferry
Extraordinary images and footage have emerged after a ferry caught fire in Indonesia on Sunday killing five people including a pregnant woman. Passenger ferry KMIII Barcelona was on its way to Manado, the capital of the North Sulawesi province, when it was overcome by flames. The vessel was thought to be carrying near to 300 people when the incident occurred near Talise Island, north of Sulawesi island. Dramatic footage has emerged from the incident filmed by a survivor from the water. It was posted onto the social media account of Abdul Rahman Agu who it's stated is from Manando. He appears to be filming while holding a toddler in his arms. The video, which lasts almost 30 minutes, shows flames overtaking much of the boat's upper decks. Scores of people can be seen in the water in life jackets while others jump overboard. The man filming can be heard saying: 'Help, the KM Barcelona is on fire. There are still many people on board.' 'We are burning at sea … we need help fast,' he adds. Clinging to a baby, he could be heard trying to calm other passengers who also jumped overboard. At one point a rescue boat from the stricken ship comes up to the person filming and takes the child. The boat appears to be solely for children. The man is then picked up a few minutes later by another vessel. Indonesia's coast guard confirmed five people died in the watery inferno. On Sunday, VIII/Manado Naval Base Commander Commodore May Franky Pasuna Sihombing said 280 passengers were evacuated by officers. 'Reports indicate that the ship caught fire between 12 noon and 1pm local time,' Manado Search and Rescue Office's public relations official Nuriadin Gumeleng said, noting that one deceased victim, a pregnant woman, had already been brought ashore. Fishermen also helped evacuate the victims to nearby islands. No cause for the fire has been given for the fire. Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the Southeast Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards or bad weather. The ferry sinking en route to Bali this month was attributed to bad weather. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person. In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Crews rescue 18 miners trapped in Colombia
Emergency crews rescued 18 workers trapped in a gold mine in Colombia on Friday, the government said. "They were all found to be in good health," the National Mining Agency said on X after the 12-hour emergency rescue operation in northwest Colombia. The workers -- who were trapped underground for about 18 hours because of an equipment failure -- walked out of the mine one by one in blue jumpsuits and yellow helmets. They were greeted with cheers and hugs from colleagues above ground, who gave them energy drinks, TV footage showed. The workers became trapped on Thursday in a mine in the town of Remedios in Antioquia department. The mayor of Remedios said in a message sent to the government that the mine was apparently unlicensed. Yarley Erasmo Marin, a representative of a local miners' association, told AFP earlier that a mechanical failure caused the collapse of a structure designed to prevent landslides, blocking the mine's main exit. Images released by the National Mining Agency showed rescuers with flashlights during their search efforts. The area around Remedios has a strong mining tradition. Gold extracted in the region is known to sometimes finance armed groups such as the Gulf Clan, a cartel also involved in cocaine trafficking. das-cdl/fox/dw/gil
