Rescue teams saved 172 individuals and recovered the body of one passenger following a fire on a ferry near Bali, Indonesia. The incident took place early Wednesday in turbulent seas, as reported by authorities.
The fire began around 4:15 a.m. on the Putri Yasmin ferry. The vessel was traveling from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on Lombok, located in West Nusa Tenggara province. This information comes from the Mataram provincial capital’s search and rescue office.
The search and rescue agency was notified about the emergency roughly 30 minutes after the fire started. They immediately dispatched rescue personnel and vessels to the scene, underlining their commitment to passenger and crew safety.
Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, emphasized, “Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members.” Initial reports indicated that the ferry carried 131 people, including 17 crew members. However, subsequent information revealed the actual number of passengers exceeded the initial count. In Indonesia, such discrepancies between the ship’s manifest and the actual number of passengers are common.
The ferry also transported 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles. The agency known as Basarnas stated rescuers managed to evacuate 172 people from the stricken ferry, which included two Australian tourists. They also recovered the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian female.
Smoke rose from the ferry, engulfing the vessel in the Lombok Strait waters. Syamsurizal, who leads the Lembar Port Authority, reported that at least two injured passengers received immediate medical attention at a nearby hospital. “The response operation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to account for all victims,” he remarked, following the Indonesian tradition of using a single name.
This incident follows shortly after another ferry fire in Indonesia. Less than two weeks earlier, the Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry caught fire near Java, resulting in at least five fatalities.