Hundreds rescued after Indonesia ferry fire kills at least five
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South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's recurring tragedy: deadly boat fire fuels urgent reform calls
A deadly ferry fire in Indonesia has reignited calls for sweeping reform of its maritime transport sector, with analysts blaming overcapacity, ageing fleets and weak enforcement for a string of recent boat disasters across the sprawling archipelago nation of over 17,000 islands. . On Sunday afternoon, a ferry was carrying more than double its declared passenger capacity when it caught fire off Talise Island, off the coast of Sulawesi, forcing dozens to jump into the sea and killing at least five people, according to the country's Maritime Security Agency. The vessel KM Barcelona V was travelling from the remote Talaud Islands to Manado in North Sulawesi A viral video shows passengers plunging into the water as the fire engulfs the vessel. Manado's rescue agency said 571 people were on board despite the ferry's manifest listing just 280 passengers and 15 crew members. Including the fire on Sunday, Indonesia has recorded at least three boat disasters alone this month, in addition to a string of other similar incidents in previous years, in a country where ferries are often the only mode of transport available for inter-island connections. On July 14, a speedboat carrying 18 passengers capsized due to a four-metre high wave in the waters around Mentawai in West Sumatra. All passengers were safe after they swam for six hours to the nearest shore. Rinto Wardana Samaloisa, regent of Mentawai Islands, told state news agency Antara that the ship was 'over capacity' as it was only allowed to carry 10 passengers. The vessel also lacked a radio for communication, and it did not have the permit to sail from the harbour master on duty due to 'extreme weather'.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Hundreds rescued after Indonesia ferry fire kills at least five
An Indonesian ferry fire killed at least five people on July 20, 2025, the country's coastguard said. More than 200 others were saved, with many jumping overboard to escape the huge blaze. The KM Barcelona 5 ferry was engulfed in flames off the coast of Sulawesi island, according to Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency. The incident happened just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali.
The Standard
6 days ago
- The Standard
Indonesia ferry fire kills three, more than 500 rescued
HANDOUT / INDONESIA'S NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / INDONESIAN COAST GUARD / AFP Photo by HANDOUT / INDONESIA'S NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / INDONESIAN COAST GUARD / AFP This screen grab taken from video released by Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) and the Indonesian Coast Guard on July 20, 2025 shows the KM Barcelona 5 ferry after a fire broke out while on its way to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province.
