Crews successfully rescued 172 people and recovered the body of a passenger from a ferry that caught fire as it navigated rough seas near Bali. This incident took place early Wednesday morning.
The fire erupted around 4:15 a.m. on the Putri Yasmin ferry. The vessel was traveling from Padang Bai port in Bali toward Lembar port on the island of Lombok, located in West Nusa Tenggara province. The search and rescue office in Mataram, the provincial capital, received an emergency alert almost 30 minutes later. Rescue personnel and vessels were immediately dispatched.
“Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members,” stated Muhammad Hariyadi, the head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office.
Initial reports indicated that the ferry had 131 people onboard, including 17 crew members, based on the ship’s manifest. However, officials later found that more people were actually on the ferry. This discrepancy is not uncommon in Indonesia.
The ferry was carrying 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles. According to the National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, rescuers successfully evacuated 172 individuals, including two Australian tourists. Tragically, the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian girl was also recovered.
Syamsurizal, the head of the Lembar Port Authority, noted that at least two injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. “The response operation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to account for all victims,” he added. In Indonesia, it is common for individuals to go by a single name.
This incident follows another ferry fire less than two weeks earlier. The Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire in the waters off Java, leading to at least five fatalities.
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