Over 100 rescued after ferry catches fire off Bali, Indonesia

A passenger ferry carrying at least 114 people caught fire off the Indonesian island of Bali on Wednesday, prompting a major rescue operation involving a navy vessel, ferries and search-and-rescue teams. Authorities said all passengers had been evacuated from the stricken vessel and no casualties had been reported.

The ferry was travelling from Bali towards the neighbouring island of Lombok when it caught fire in the early morning.

Muhamad Hariyadi, head of the search and rescue agency at Mataram on Lombok, said passengers were taken off the ferry and transferred to at least three vessels, including a navy ship and another ferry.

Search and rescue vessels reached the area, while a helicopter carried out surveillance from the air.

“As of now, we have not received any report of casualties,” Hariyadi told Metro TV.

“We have approached the ship and confirmed that all passengers are no longer on board,” he added. “We visually see no passengers on the ship.”

Rescue teams account for passengers

Hariyadi later said a nearby ferry had evacuated 30 people and taken them to Bali. A search and rescue agency vessel was travelling to Lembar port in Lombok with 59 rescued passengers on board.

A navy vessel rescued another 17 passengers. Authorities were still verifying the total number of people who had been aboard the ferry.

Ferry accidents remain frequent in Indonesia

The incident comes days after another ferry fire off Java island killed five people.

Marine accidents occur regularly in Indonesia, an archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands where boats play a major role in connecting communities.

Lax safety standards and unpredictable weather are among the main factors behind such disasters.

Last month, a ferry carrying more than 70 people sank while sailing near Selayar, a small island south of Sulawesi. Rescuers recovered four bodies, but the search operation ended with 14 people still officially listed as missing.