Over 130 rescued as ferry catches fire between Bali and Lombok

Fire on the Putri Yasmin

The ferry "Putri Yasmin" caught fire at approximately 4:15 a.m. local time (1045 GMT) on Wednesday while sailing through the Lombok Strait from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on the neighboring island of Lombok. The route connects two of Indonesia's most popular tourist destinations and is regularly used by vacationers traveling between the islands. The search and rescue office in Mataram, on Lombok, received an emergency report nearly half an hour after the fire broke out and then deployed rescue vessels and personnel to the scene. The fire's cause remains to be determined.

According to the passenger manifest released by Padang Bai's port authority, the ferry was carrying 114 passengers and 17 crew members, totaling 131 people. The vessel also had 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles on board. Heri Wiyanto, head of the port authority, said it was initially unclear whether foreigners were among those on board. Muhammad Hariyadi, who heads the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, initially cited the manifest figures but later said in a statement that the total number of passengers was still being verified.

Rescue operation

Indonesian authorities rescued over 130 people from the burning ferry. Hariyadi told Metro TV that all passengers had been evacuated and there were no immediate reports of casualties.

We have approached the ship and confirmed that all passengers are no longer on board. We visually see no passengers on the ship.

For now, we have received no report of victims.

The rescue was complicated by rough seas with waves as high as 4 meters (13 feet), strong winds, and dense smoke. Passengers were equipped with life vests, and some used the ferry's lifeboats during the evacuation, as shown in footage broadcast by Metro TV. A ferry in the vicinity evacuated 30 passengers and brought them back to Bali. A search and rescue vessel was en route to Lembar port with 59 of the rescued passengers, and a naval vessel picked up another 17 passengers. A helicopter also monitored the area from above.

Possible cause and vessel status

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Local media reports suggested the blaze may have started from a truck on board, though there was no official confirmation. A spokesperson for the Indonesian naval unit on Lombok said the ferry had lost power, run aground, and was no longer operational.

Recurring ferry accidents in Indonesia

Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, where ferries are a common mode of transport across the archipelago. This is the second ferry fire in Indonesia this month. Last week, five people died in a ferry fire off the coast of Java Island. Last month, a ferry carrying more than 70 people sank near Seayar Island; the rescue operation was closed after four bodies were recovered, but 14 people remained officially missing. In July of last year, a ferry sank while traveling between Java and Bali, killing nearly 20 people. Earlier in August, a ferry with more than 270 people on board caught fire while traveling from Java to Sulawesi, resulting in several deaths and dozens missing.