Latest news with #ferryfire
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's recurring tragedy: deadly boat fire fuels urgent reform calls
A deadly ferry fire in Indonesia has reignited calls for sweeping reform of its maritime transport sector, with analysts blaming overcapacity, ageing fleets and weak enforcement for a string of recent boat disasters across the sprawling archipelago nation of over 17,000 islands. . On Sunday afternoon, a ferry was carrying more than double its declared passenger capacity when it caught fire off Talise Island, off the coast of Sulawesi, forcing dozens to jump into the sea and killing at least five people, according to the country's Maritime Security Agency. The vessel KM Barcelona V was travelling from the remote Talaud Islands to Manado in North Sulawesi A viral video shows passengers plunging into the water as the fire engulfs the vessel. Manado's rescue agency said 571 people were on board despite the ferry's manifest listing just 280 passengers and 15 crew members. Including the fire on Sunday, Indonesia has recorded at least three boat disasters alone this month, in addition to a string of other similar incidents in previous years, in a country where ferries are often the only mode of transport available for inter-island connections. On July 14, a speedboat carrying 18 passengers capsized due to a four-metre high wave in the waters around Mentawai in West Sumatra. All passengers were safe after they swam for six hours to the nearest shore. Rinto Wardana Samaloisa, regent of Mentawai Islands, told state news agency Antara that the ship was 'over capacity' as it was only allowed to carry 10 passengers. The vessel also lacked a radio for communication, and it did not have the permit to sail from the harbour master on duty due to 'extreme weather'.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hundreds rescued after Indonesia ferry fire kills at least five
An Indonesian ferry fire killed at least five people on July 20, 2025, the country's coastguard said. More than 200 others were saved, with many jumping overboard to escape the huge blaze. The KM Barcelona 5 ferry was engulfed in flames off the coast of Sulawesi island, according to Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency. The incident happened just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
What we know about the Indonesian ferry fire
Over 560 people were rescued, and three died after the KM Barcelona 5 passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Indonesia 's North Sulawesi province on Sunday. The fire, which started in the stern, was extinguished within an hour, with rescue efforts involving coast guard ships, rescue vessels, and local fishermen. Photos and videos showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel. Authorities revised the death toll from five to three, confirming that a pregnant woman was among the deceased, while a two-month-old baby initially reported dead was saved. The incident highlighted common discrepancies in Indonesian ferry manifests, as 568 survivors were rescued despite the manifest listing only 280 passengers.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Pregnant woman is among at least five dead after ferry carrying hundreds of people bursts into flames in Indonesia - with frantic families seen leaping into the sea to escape
At lease five people, including a pregnant woman, have died after a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers burst into flames in Indonesia forcing terrified travellers to jump overboard into the sea. More than 280 people were rescued and evacuation efforts were ongoing following the incident on Sunday. 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, Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command, said. The senior officer said that three navy ships had been deployed, and 284 passengers and crew members had so far been evacuated. But Manado SAR Office Public Relations Officer Nuriadin Gumeleng stated one tragic victim was a pregnant woman who had been referred from Talaud to Manado. 'Currently, only one person has been identified as having died, a pregnant woman. Her body is now on land,' Gumeleng told local news site Harian Jogja. 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. Some passengers filmed the wreckage a distance away as they recounted the horrifying events There were no immediate reports of injuries, and no exact figures of passengers and crew members onboard the ferry. Striking footage of the incident shows the vessel entirely engulfed in bright orange flames as plumes of grey smoke tower above the wreckage. 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. 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.
CTV News
2 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
