Indonesia Ferry Fire Kills One, 172 Passengers Rescued Near Lombok Waters
One dead as 172 rescued from ferry fire.
One person died and 172 others were rescued after a passenger ferry caught fire off the Indonesian tourist island of Bali on Wednesday, officials said. The incident is the second ferry fire reported in Indonesia in a matter of days, raising fresh concerns over safety on the country’s busy inter-island routes. The vessel was travelling from Bali towards Lombok when the fire broke out, prompting an emergency evacuation involving multiple vessels. Rescue official Muhamad Hariyadi told AFP that a navy vessel and other ships were involved in evacuating the passengers from the stricken ferry.
Among those rescued were two Australian tourists. The passengers were taken to safety aboard at least three vessels, including a navy ship and another ferry that moved towards the scene after receiving the emergency call in the early morning hours. A 19-year-old Indonesian woman was declared dead following the incident, Hariyadi said. An AFP photographer at Lembar, on Lombok’s west coast, saw a person brought ashore in a body bag. Authorities were continuing to manage the aftermath of the incident as rescued passengers arrived on Lombok, where the ferry had been headed after departing from Bali.
Survivor Kiky Okta Pradika, 25, described the moments after the fire broke out and said he grabbed a life jacket before jumping overboard with several other passengers. He told reporters at Lembar that there was a delay before assistance reached those who had entered the water. His account highlighted the difficult conditions faced by passengers as they waited for rescue vessels to arrive. The emergency response involved coordinated efforts by naval personnel and civilian vessels. Hariyadi said passengers were evacuated on at least three different ships, with the navy vessel and another ferry among those assisting in the operation.
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The rescue effort allowed more than 170 people to escape the burning ferry and reach safety, although one passenger could not be saved. The incident occurred just days after another ferry-related fire in Indonesia, making Wednesday’s accident the second such incident within a short period. Indonesia is an archipelago made up of thousands of islands, and ferries are an important means of transportation for residents and tourists travelling between islands. Routes connecting Bali and Lombok are also heavily used by visitors travelling through the popular tourist region. Authorities are expected to assess the circumstances surrounding the latest fire, including how it started and whether the vessel was operating in compliance with safety requirements.
The immediate priority following the incident was the evacuation of passengers and accounting for everyone on board. Rescue officials confirmed that 172 people were brought to safety, while the death of the 19-year-old woman was reported after the evacuation. The latest ferry fire adds to concerns over maritime safety in Indonesia, particularly following another similar incident in recent days. With passenger vessels carrying large numbers of people between the country’s islands, effective emergency procedures and rapid access to rescue services remain crucial. Officials will now have to establish the cause of the fire and determine whether any additional safety measures are required.
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