Indonesia: Passengers rescued after Bali ferry catches fire

Over 130 passengers were rescued from a burning ferry near the Indonesian tourist island of Bali on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred on the Padang Bai-Lembar ferry route that connects Bali and Lombok, a popular travel corridor. This marks the second major ferry fire in Indonesia this month.

According to Muhammad Hariyadi, who heads the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, all passengers had been safely evacuated and there were no immediate reports of casualties. Initial reports from the Padang Bai port authority indicated the ferry was carrying 114 passengers and 17 crew members, though this number was later confirmed as inaccurate. The vessel also transported 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles.

The fire broke out on board the Putri Yasmin Ferry at approximately 4:15 a.m. local time while the ferry was en route from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on the neighboring island of Lombok. The search office in Mataram received an emergency report nearly half an hour after the fire started and promptly mobilized rescue vessels and personnel. The burning ferry was navigating through rough seas with waves reaching up to 4 meters (13 feet), complicating rescue efforts.

A nearby ferry had evacuated 30 passengers and brought them to Bali. A rescue vessel was on its way to Lembar port to transport 59 of the rescued passengers, while a naval vessel picked up another 17 passengers. Despite these efforts, marine safety in Indonesia remains a concern, as ferry accidents are relatively common. Last week, five people died in a ferry fire off the coast of Java Island, and in July last year, a ferry sank while traveling between Java and Bali, killing nearly 20 people.