Indonesian authorities successfully rescued more than 200 individuals on Wednesday after a ferry caught fire while traveling from the tourist destination of Bali to Lombok. As reported by Reuters, search efforts continue to locate any additional passengers who may be missing.
By Wednesday afternoon, officials confirmed one fatality, while 212 people were evacuated to ports in both Bali and Lombok. Most evacuees were Indonesian citizens, including one Australian national.
Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the local rescue agency, stated that the ferry, named “KM Putri Yasmin,” had departed from Padangbai port in Bali heading towards Lembar port. The cause of the fire remains unclear, as does whether overcrowding may have contributed to the incident.
“We dispatched multiple vessels to carry out the evacuations and coordinate operations with other boats in the vicinity of the incident,” Hariyadi noted, adding that over 200 rescue team members were mobilized to manage the operation.
The fire reportedly broke out at approximately 4:39 AM local time while the vessel was navigating the Lombok Strait.
Concerns Raised Over Potential Overcapacity of the Ferry
A port official from Padangbai disclosed to local television station Kompas TV that the ferry’s official registry listed only 114 passengers and 17 crew members.
This incident occurred less than a month after another ferry, “KM Mutiara Sentosa 2,” caught fire near Madura, resulting in five fatalities. That vessel also transported more individuals than were documented in official passenger records.
Indonesia, an archipelago of approximately 17,000 islands, heavily relies on ferries as a primary means of transportation, with maritime routes often being more accessible than air travel. However, safety standards are not always strictly enforced, contributing to a relatively high rate of accidents.
