Ferry with 280 people on board bursts into flames off coast of Indonesia as panicked passengers leap overboard
Chaos erupted at the KM Barcelona VA vessel on Sunday morning, forcing its terrified passengers to hurl themselves into the ocean.
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The ferry was en route from the Talaud Islands to Manado City when it caught fire off the coast of North Sulawesi.
It was nearing Talise Island in North Minahasa Regency when thick black smoke began pouring from the vessel and flames shot into the sky.
Panic quickly spread as the fire intensified.
Harrowing footage shows passengers leaping into the water, many of them clad in bright orange life jackets, as the blaze devoured the ship.
'There are KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian, and KM Cantika Lestari 9F,' a Manado KSOP officer confirmed, naming the three rescue ships dispatched to the scene to help evacuate survivors.
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