Latest news with #TaliseIsland
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Number of people saved from burning Indonesian ferry rises to 575, rescuers say
In this photo made from video released by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS), smoke billows from passenger ship KM Barcelona after it caught fire in the waters off Talise Island in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday, July 20, 2025. (BASARNAS via AP) MANADO, Indonesia — The number of people saved from an Indonesian passenger ferry that caught fire at sea rose to 575, rescuers said Monday, but three died and two remained missing. The KM Barcelona V-A caught fire around midday Sunday while making its regular half-day journey between two ports in North Sulawesi province, from Melonguane to Manado , 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. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire that began in the ferry's stern and was extinguished within an hour, Sihombing said. The ferry's manifest initially registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, but by Monday afternoon Manado's Search and Rescue Agency confirmed 575 survivors had been rescued, including a 2-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater. The baby is now in a stable condition at a hospital. Three bodies recovered, including a pregnant woman, and rescuers are searching for two passengers reportedly still missing, said the agency in a statement. 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 occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed. A speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm July 14, and all its occupants were found 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. ___ Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report. Gracey Wakari, The Associated Press
News.com.au
5 days ago
- General
- 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.
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Indonesian passenger ferry catches fire at sea, killing at least 5
In this photo made from video released by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS), rescue ship approach passenger ship KM Barcelona after it caught fire in the waters off Talise Island in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday, July 20, 2025. (BASARNAS via AP) MANADO, Indonesia — A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people caught fire at sea on Sunday off Sulawesi island in Indonesia, killing at least five people, officials said. More than 280 people were rescued and evacuation efforts were ongoing. The KM Barcelona 5 was headed to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud, an island district in the province when it caught fire in waters near Talise, said Vice Adm. Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command. He said that three navy ships had been deployed, and 284 passengers and crew members had been evacuated so far. The rescue operation included assistance from local fishermen, who saved some survivors wearing life jackets as they were drifting to nearby islands in the choppy waters. Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman. There were no immediate reports of injuries, and no exact figures of passengers and crew members onboard the ferry. 'We are still focusing on evacuation efforts,' Hendrata said, adding that the cause of the fire was being investigated. Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea. Orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel. Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed. Residents of Mentawai Islands found several people stranded on July 14 after a speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm the day before, authorities said. All were in good condition. A ferry sank near Indonesia's resort island of Bali early this month, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 1,000 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers. Gracey Wakari, The Associated Press
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Ferry carrying 280 people off the coast of Indonesia bursts into flames
A ferry packed with 280 people has burst into flames across the coast of Indonesia forcing terrified passengers to jump overboard into the sea. Striking footage shows the vessel entirely engulfed in bright orange flames as plumes of grey smoke tower above the wreckage. The KM Barcelona boat had been serving the Manado-Tahuda route, as well as surrounding islands before the blaze broke out today at around 1.30pm local time (7.30am BST). A woman can be heard crying uncontrollably in a recording of the ruined ferry that shows a number of passengers in orange life vests forced to enter the sea as they sit on the edge of the vessel. The camera then reveals several dozen people already in the water after swimming away from the boat. Another video appears to show a toddler rescued from the sea by a man who relays his account of the horrifying events. He is recorded filming the wreckage a distance away and clutching the young child in his arms who coughs as the man narrates. It is believed the boat was nearing Talise Island in in North Minahasa Regency when it caught alight. A number of passengers in orange life vests are forced to enter the sea as they sit on the edge of the vessel In one chilling broadcast uploaded to Facebook a passenger named Abdul Rahmad Agu pleaded: 'We are burning at sea... we need help... fast...'. Rescue operations are ongoing with emergency teams racing to account for all passengers. A Manado KSOP officer named the three rescue ships dispatched to the scene as the KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian, and KM Cantika Lestari 9F. The ferry was scheduled to dock at Manado Port when disaster struck, local outlet IDN Times reports. Families of those onboard have been urged to stay calm and await official updates. Just days earlier, at least 38 people died after tourist boat carrying 53 passengers capsized in Vietnam. High winds struck Halong Bay, the Wonder Sea boat, and according to Vn Express, rescue crews recovered 37 bodies and saved 11 survivors - with five still unaccounted for.
CNA
5 days ago
- General
- CNA
Vessel catches fire off Indonesia's North Sulawesi province as passengers jump for safety
SINGAPORE: Dramatic footage of passengers jumping into the sea after the vessel they on caught fire made the rounds on social media on Sunday (Jul 20), with Indonesian news outlet Detik reporting that the incident happened off an island in the country's North Sulawesi province. "According to initial information, the fire is located (off of) Talise island," Jerry Harmonsina, secretary of the North Sulawesi Regional Disaster Management Agency, told Detik. There has been no confirmation of the number of casualties, but Jerry told Detik that the fire broke out on the vessel on Sunday afternoon. Local media reported that the vessel – KM Barcelona 5 – was ferrying 280 passengers and was scheduled to dock at Manado Port. Jerry further said that a search and rescue team has been deployed to the location to carry out evacuations, while local fishermen are also assisting in rescue efforts. "The evacuation is currently underway, involving various units from the Navy, the National Search and Rescue Agency, the Coast Guard (as well as) assistance from local fishermen in the surrounding area," Jerry added. Videos of the vessel fire went viral on TikTok, with some reportedly taken by passengers who had jumped aboard for safety. Thick plumes of black smoke could be seen in the background as passengers floated in the water. In another clip posted on Tiktok by user Soalunsrat, passengers on the vessel were seen hurriedly putting on life vests even as others were seen panicking and attempting to make calls on their mobile phones.
