Rescue Operations After Ferry Fire Near Bali

Rescue teams saved 211 people and recovered the body of a passenger after a ferry caught fire in rough seas near Bali, Indonesia. The Putri Yasmin ferry was traveling from Bali to Lombok in the West Nusa Tenggara province when the fire started around 4:15 a.m. The vessel also carried 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles.

The Search and Rescue Agency in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara’s capital, was alerted about the emergency almost 30 minutes after the fire began. They quickly mobilized personnel and rescue boats. Muhammad Hariyadi, the agency’s director, emphasized that passenger and crew safety was the top priority.

Videos from the National Search and Rescue Agency showed people with life jackets crowded on an inflatable raft in turbulent waters as smoke billowed from the ferry. As of Wednesday afternoon, rescuers evacuated 211 people from the burned ferry, including two Australian tourists, and recovered the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman.

Initial reports indicated there were 131 people on the ferry, including 17 crew members, according to the ship’s manifest. However, authorities later reported that more people were on board than initially listed. Discrepancies between passenger numbers and manifests are common in Indonesia. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that the authorities would investigate the discrepancy.

Purwagandhi assured that the ministry would thoroughly review findings as part of their assessment. Investigations are also underway to determine the cause of the fire. Syamsurizal, head of the Lembar Port Authority in Lombok, mentioned that survivors reported the fire seemed to originate from a cargo truck before spreading swiftly. The heat forced some passengers to jump into the sea, he noted.

The rescue operation included six vessels, a helicopter, two inflatable boats, and two private yachts. Challenging sea conditions, with waves up to 4 meters (13 feet), hampered rescue efforts. At least two injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital.

This incident occurred less than two weeks after another Indonesian ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire off Java’s main island, causing at least five deaths. Indonesia, an archipelago with over 17,000 islands, frequently relies on ferries for transportation. Disasters are common and often attributed to lax enforcement of safety regulations.