JUST IN: Ferry Fire Claims Lives in Indonesia, Over 500 Rescued as Chaos Unfolds

A devastating ferry fire off the coast of Indonesia’s Sulawesi island has claimed the lives of three people, with over 500 others rescued.

Local sources say the blaze broke out on Sunday aboard the KM Barcelona 5 as it was en route from Melonguane port in Talaud Islands to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province.

Passengers, many of whom were wearing life jackets, were forced to jump into the sea to escape the flames, as orange flames and thick black smoke engulfed the vessel.

Social media posts showed terrified passengers leaping from the ship into the choppy waters below.

The Indonesian coastguard responded swiftly, deploying rescue teams and vessels to tackle the situation.

Videos shared online showed coastguard ships spraying water on the burning ferry as they worked to contain the blaze.

According to officials, the fire is believed to have started on the upper deck of the vessel.

As the situation unfolded, emergency services rescued 568 people, with the majority of passengers being brought to safety by coastguard vessels, inflatable boats, and rescue ships.

Initial reports stated that five people had died in the fire, but later, authorities revised the death toll to three.

Two people who had been listed as dead, including a two-month-old baby, were successfully revived after receiving medical attention.

The infant had been rescued with her lungs filled with seawater, but doctors were able to stabilize her condition.

While the search and rescue operation continued into Monday, authorities confirmed that the situation remained dynamic, with the possibility of finding more survivors.

The tragedy prompted an outpouring of distress from survivors. Johan Rumewo, one of the passengers, described the terrifying moments of the fire.

“The air was full of smoke, and everyone started panicking,” he told Kompas TV after being rescued.

“I grabbed a life jacket and jumped into the sea. I floated for about an hour before being rescued.”

His account highlights the chaos that ensued as the fire quickly spread, forcing many to risk their lives by jumping overboard to escape the inferno.

Despite the chaos, rescue operations were launched immediately.

A coastguard ship, six rescue vessels, and several inflatable boats were deployed to assist in the effort.

Indonesian authorities have pledged to keep their search operations open around the clock as the investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

The Indonesian rescue agency has also set up a hotline for families to report missing relatives, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the disaster response.

The KM Barcelona 5 had registered 280 passengers and 15 crew members on board at the time of the incident, although the ship’s capacity was 600 people, suggesting that overcrowding may have been a factor in the scale of the disaster.

The fire and the subsequent rescue efforts highlight the persistent risks faced by maritime travelers in Indonesia.

The country’s vast archipelago, made up of around 17,000 islands, has a history of marine accidents, often attributed to lax safety standards, overcrowding, and unpredictable weather.

This fire comes just weeks after a similar tragedy in Bali, where a ferry sank due to poor weather conditions, killing at least 19 people.

Marine accidents in Indonesia have been frequent in recent years.

In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized near Bali, resulting in the death of an Australian woman and injuries to another passenger.

Perhaps most tragically, in 2018, a ferry sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes off Sumatra Island, drowning more than 150 people.

These incidents underscore the ongoing challenges of ensuring passenger safety in the country’s maritime transport system.

The exact cause of the ferry fire is still under investigation.

On the other hand, the incident has once again brought attention to the risks of traveling by sea in Indonesia.

Indonesia is reportedly a nation where maritime safety has often been called into question.

The incident also raises concerns over the capacity of local authorities to prevent further tragedies, as the region continues to struggle with safety enforcement, overcrowded vessels, and extreme weather conditions.

As Indonesian authorities work to manage the aftermath of this tragedy, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers faced by thousands of passengers who rely on ferries and boats to travel across the country’s many islands.

The ongoing investigation will likely focus on determining the root causes of the fire and what can be done to prevent similar disasters in the future.

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