
Indonesia: Ferry fire kills several, over 200 rescued
The KM Barcelona 5 was en route to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud — an island district in the province — when it caught fire in waters near Talise, the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency said.
The incident occurred just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali.
"Five people were reported dead, two of whom have yet to be identified. Meanwhile, 284 people have been evacuated safely," the agency, also known as Bakamla, said in a statement.
Pregnant woman among deceased
Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman but there were no immediate details on other injuries, and no exact figures of passengers and crew members on board the ferry.
Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.
The fire broke out at the ferry's stern, forcing some passengers jump overboard with life jackets, the Bakamla statement added.
Fishermen aided rescue operation
Several fishermen also helped evacuate the victims to nearby islands, according to the statement. The injured were taken to the nearest health facility.
Marine incidents occur frequently in the Southeast Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to questionable safety standards or bad weather.
The ferry sinking en route to Bali earlier in July was attributed to bad weather while in March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person.
In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Times of Oman
20 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Russian passenger plane with 47 on board goes missing in Amur Region, search ops underway
Moscow: A twin turboprop Antonov An-24 passenger plane carrying 47 people, including five children, went missing on Thursday during a flight over Russia's Far Eastern Amur Region, Russia Today reported. The aircraft was en route from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, a 570-kilometre journey, when it lost contact with air traffic control shortly before reaching its destination. Amur Region Governor Vasily Orlov confirmed that 43 passengers and four crew members were aboard the missing flight. Emergency services said the aircraft went off radar just a few kilometres away from Tynda. A search and rescue operation has been launched, but authorities say the taiga-dense boreal forest covering much of the area is making the effort challenging, according to Russia Today. The Antonov An-24, developed in the 1950s, is widely used in Russia for both cargo and passenger transport. More than 1,000 units of the aircraft were produced.


Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Times of Oman
Indonesia: Ferry fire kills several, over 200 rescued
An Indonesian passenger ferry fire killed at least five people and injured hundreds more on Sunday, the country's coast guard said. More than 280 others were saved, with many jumping overboard to flee the inferno. The KM Barcelona 5 was en route to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud — an island district in the province — when it caught fire in waters near Talise, the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency said. The incident occurred just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali. "Five people were reported dead, two of whom have yet to be identified. Meanwhile, 284 people have been evacuated safely," the agency, also known as Bakamla, said in a statement. Pregnant woman among deceased Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman but there were no immediate details on other injuries, and no exact figures of passengers and crew members on board the ferry. Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel. The fire broke out at the ferry's stern, forcing some passengers jump overboard with life jackets, the Bakamla statement added. Fishermen aided rescue operation Several fishermen also helped evacuate the victims to nearby islands, according to the statement. The injured were taken to the nearest health facility. Marine incidents occur frequently in the Southeast Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, in part due to questionable safety standards or bad weather. The ferry sinking en route to Bali earlier in July was attributed to bad weather while in March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person. In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island.


Times of Oman
09-07-2025
- Times of Oman
Oman Embassy in Indonesia issues travel advisory to citizens
Muscat: The Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Jakarta, Indonesia, has reissued a reminder to its citizens about the mandatory requirement for passports to be valid for more than six months when traveling to Indonesia. This is a strict entry requirement enforced by the Indonesian authorities. Omani citizens planning to travel to Indonesia must ensure their passports meet this validity period to avoid being denied entry.