A passenger ferry named KM Barcelona 5 caught fire at sea near Talise Island in Indonesia while en route from Talaud to Manado, North Sulawesi, resulting in at least five fatalities. The incident occurred on Sunday, leading to significant evacuation efforts amid the chaos.
Over 280 individuals, comprising passengers and crew members, were successfully rescued, assisted by local fishermen who responded quickly to the emergency. Some survivors were seen drifting towards nearby islands, clad in life jackets. Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command, confirmed that navy vessels were deployed for the rescue operations, and reports indicated five bodies had been retrieved, including that of a pregnant woman. However, there were no immediate accounts of injuries among the rescued, nor precise figures on the total number of people aboard the ferry.
The focus of the response remained on ongoing evacuation efforts, with authorities currently investigating the cause of the fire. Distressing images released by Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers leaping into the ocean as flames and smoke engulfed the vessel.
Indonesia, an archipelago comprising over 17,000 islands, heavily relies on ferries for transportation, and frequent maritime accidents raise concerns over safety regulations. In a recent related incident, a speedboat capsized during a storm in the Mentawai Islands, but all 18 individuals on board were found safe. Earlier this month, another ferry sank near Bali, claiming at least 19 lives and leaving several missing, sparking a substantial search operation involving over 1,000 rescuers and various naval resources.
In light of this recent tragedy, there’s a renewed call for stricter safety enforcement to prevent such disasters in the future.