A passenger ferry carrying a whole bunch of individuals caught fire at sea on Sunday (July 20, 2025) off Sulawesi island in Indonesia, killing at least 5 individuals, officers stated. More than 280 individuals have been rescued and evacuation efforts have been ongoing.
The KM Barcelona 5 was headed to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud, an island district within the province, when it caught fire in waters close to Talise, stated Vice Adm. Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command.
He stated that three navy ships had been deployed, and 284 passengers and crew members had been evacuated to date. The rescue operation included help from native fishermen, who saved some survivors carrying life jackets as they have been drifting to close by islands within the uneven waters.
Rescuers retrieved 5 our bodies, together with a pregnant lady. There have been no instant stories of accidents, and no actual figures of passengers and crew members onboard the ferry.
“We are still focusing on evacuation efforts,” Mr. Hendrata stated, including that the reason for the fire was being investigated.
Smoke billows from passenger ship KM Barcelona after it caught fire within the waters off Talise Island in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on July 20, 2025. Photo: BASARNAS by way of AP
Photos and movies launched by the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) confirmed terrified passengers, largely carrying life jackets, leaping into the ocean. Orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.
Indonesia is an archipelago of greater than 17,000 islands the place ferries are a standard technique of journey. Disasters happen recurrently, with weak security enforcement usually blamed.
Residents of the Mentawai Islands discovered a number of individuals stranded on July 14 after a speedboat carrying 18 individuals capsized throughout a storm the day earlier than, authorities stated. All have been in good situation.
A ferry sank close to Indonesia’s resort island of Bali early this month, leaving at least 19 lifeless and 16 others lacking. A two-week search operation concerned greater than 1,000 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.
