There was widespread panic on a passenger ferry earlier today (Sunday 20 July) when fire broke out with nearly 300 people aboard. The KM Barcelona was travelling from the Talaud Islands en route to Manado City – the capital of North Sulawesi province – but as it neared Talise Island in North Minahasa thick black smoke could be seen billowing from the vessel’s lower decks.

Initial reports are that five people have lost their lives, including a pregnant woman. It is understood that 284 others were rescued from the scene and so far no serious injuries are being reported amongst them.

No official numbers of passengers has been given at this point so it remains unclear if there are any more passengers missing and rescue efforts remain in place. The blaze started at around 1.30pm local time at the stern of the boat and resulted in huge numbers of passengers jumping into the water as the inferno raged behind them.

Commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command Vice Adm. Denih Hendrata said three navy ships were immediately deployed to the incident and added that their rescue operation included assistance from from local fishermen, who plucked survivors wearing life jackets out of the choppy sea as they drifted away from the burning ferry.

After the blaze was extinguished the previously proud blue and white boat had turned to a burned out smouldering carcass with its internal structure exposed amongst its blackened remains. A search and rescue post was set up at the nearby Likupang Port and at such an early stage it is not possible to determine the exact cause of the fire.

The archipelago of 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia relies greatly on ferry travel, but incidents on the water are sadly becoming more frequent. Part of that is due to bad weather, but also can be attributed to poorly enforced safety procedures, which have regularly been called into question.

Only a matter of weeks ago at least 19 people died with a further 16 still missing presumed drowned, when a ferry sank close to the popular tourist resort of Bali and back in 2018 more than 150 people perished after the vessel they were travelling on sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes on Sumatra island.