At Least 1 Killed and 172 Rescued from Ferry Fire

A deadly ferry fire erupted in rough seas near the Indonesian tourist island of Bali early Wednesday, killing a teenage passenger and forcing rescuers to pull 172 people from the burning vessel.

The Putri Yasmin ferry was traveling from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on the neighboring island of Lombok when the fire broke out at around 4:15 a.m. in the Lombok Strait.

According to the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, officials received an emergency report about 30 minutes later and quickly sent rescue crews and vessels to the area.

“Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members,” said Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office.

Initial reports said 131 people were aboard the ferry, including 17 crew members, based on the ship’s official manifest.

But as the rescue operation continued, officials discovered that far more people had actually been on board.

Authorities later said 172 people were rescued from the badly burned ferry, including two Australian tourists.

Rescuers also recovered the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman.

At least two injured passengers were rushed to a nearby hospital, according to Syamsurizal, head of the Lembar Port Authority.

“The response operation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to account for all victims,” Syamsurizal said.

The ferry was also carrying dozens of vehicles at the time of the fire, including 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles.

Images from the scene showed thick smoke pouring from the ferry as rescue crews worked to evacuate passengers from the vessel.

It is not unusual in Indonesia for the actual number of passengers aboard a ferry to differ from the official manifest, which can complicate rescue efforts after a disaster.

The latest tragedy comes less than two weeks after another Indonesian ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire off the main island of Java.

That disaster left at least five people dead.

Authorities have not yet announced what caused the fire aboard the Putri Yasmin, and officials were continuing efforts to make sure everyone who had been aboard was accounted for.