Rescue Operations After Ferry Fire Near Bali

Rescuers saved 211 individuals and recovered the body of a passenger after a ferry caught fire near Bali, Indonesia. The ferry, named Putri Yasmin, was en route from Bali to Lombok when the fire started early Wednesday morning. The vessel also carried 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles.

The Search and Rescue Agency in Mataram was alerted nearly 30 minutes after the incident and quickly responded with personnel and rescue vessels. “Our top priority is ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew members,” said Muhammad Hariyadi, the agency’s director. Footage showed people wearing life jackets on an inflatable raft in choppy waters, with thick black smoke rising from the ferry.

By Wednesday afternoon, rescuers evacuated 211 people, including two Australian tourists, and retrieved the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman. Initial reports stated 131 people were aboard, according to the ferry’s manifest. However, authorities later confirmed more people were present on the ferry than listed. Such discrepancies are common in Indonesia’s ferry manifests. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that the government will investigate the inconsistency. “Our findings will be thoroughly reviewed as part of the ministry’s evaluation,” he affirmed. Investigators are also looking into the cause of the fire.

Syamsurizal, head of Lembar Port Authority, reported that passengers mentioned the fire seemed to start from a cargo truck and quickly spread. The heat forced some passengers to jump into the sea. “The response operation continues as authorities work to account for all victims,” he said, noting that at least two injured passengers were rushed to a nearby hospital.

Hariyadi detailed the rescue operation, supported by six vessels, a helicopter, two inflatable boats, and two private yachts. Rough seas, with waves reaching up to 4 meters, posed challenges to rescue efforts.

The incident occurred less than two weeks after another Indonesian ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire near Java, leading to at least five fatalities. Ferries are a common mode of transport in the Indonesian archipelago of over 17,000 islands, where disasters often result from weak safety regulation enforcement.