Crews rescued 172 people and recovered the body of a passenger from a ferry that caught fire in rough seas Wednesday near the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, authorities said.
The fire aboard the Putri Yasmin ferry began around 4:15 a.m. local time while it was traveling between Padang Bai port in Bali and Lembar port on the neighboring island of Lombok. The Mataram Search and Rescue Office received an emergency report approximately 30 minutes later and immediately dispatched rescue vessels.
Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, stated that the priority was the safety of all passengers and crew. Initial reports indicated 131 people were on board, including 17 crew members, according to the ship's manifest. However, officials later confirmed more individuals were aboard, a common occurrence in Indonesia where passenger numbers often exceed manifest listings.
The ferry was also carrying 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles. Among the rescued were two Australian tourists. The recovered body was identified as a 19-year-old Indonesian girl. At least two injured passengers were transported to a nearby hospital.
Syamsurizal, head of the Lembar Port Authority, confirmed the rescue operation was ongoing and authorities were working to account for all victims. The rescue efforts were hampered by rough seas with waves reported up to 4 meters (13 feet) high, according to Hariyadi. The Indonesian navy, patrol boats, rescue vessels, and a helicopter supported the operation.
This incident occurred less than two weeks after another Indonesian ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire off the coast of Java, resulting in at least five deaths. Ferries are a primary mode of transportation in Indonesia, an archipelago nation, and accidents are frequent, often attributed to lax safety enforcement.