Fire aboard ferry near Bali kills one, leaves 172 rescued
A ferry caught fire in rough seas between Bali and Lombok, killing a 19-year-old passenger and prompting the rescue of 172 people, officials said.
Rescue teams saved 172 passengers and crew from the Putri Yasmin ferry after a blaze broke out early Wednesday in the Lombok Strait, authorities said. The fire started around 4:15 a.m. while the vessel was traveling from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on Lombok, and the incident was reported about half an hour later.
"Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members," said Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office.
Initial manifests listed 131 people on board, but officials later confirmed a higher number, noting that passenger counts often exceed official records in Indonesia. The ferry also carried 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles. The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) reported that two Australian tourists were among those rescued and that the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman was recovered.
"The response operation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to account for all victims," said Syamsurizal, head of the Lembar Port Authority, who added that at least two injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital.
The rescue effort was supported by navy ships, patrol boats, rescue vessels and a helicopter conducting aerial surveys, despite waves reported up to four meters (13 feet). The tragedy follows another ferry fire less than two weeks earlier, which claimed at least five lives off Java.