Ferry catches fire near Indonesian port, all rescued

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 08:08 · Archive

A ferry caught fire near Merak Port in western Indonesia on Tuesday with all passengers and crew safely evacuated.

A fire broke out aboard the KMP Batumandi ferry as it approached Merak Port in Banten province, western Indonesia, on Tuesday. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated within an hour of the emergency being triggered.

The vessel had departed from Bakauheni on the southern tip of Sumatra at approximately 2.52pm. Staff on shore spotted flames near the stern roughly two hours later, prompting the emergency evacuation. A thick plume of smoke rose from the ship as it neared the dock. One passenger reported that the smoke thickened significantly, making it hard to breathe, and that diesel was leaking from the ceiling.

No deaths were reported. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Port authorities, the search and rescue agency and police are continuing to handle the situation and investigate what triggered the blaze.

How it is being reported

• Dramatic footage shows ferry engulfed in flames off IndonesiaAll passengers and crew were rescued after the KMP Batumandi ferry caught fire near Merak Port in western Indonesia on Tuesday.Euronews · 21 Oct, 07:49
• Ferry catches fire near Indonesian port, all passengers rescuedA fire broke out aboard the KMP Batumandi as the ferry approached Merak Port in western Indonesia on TuesdayAl Jazeera · 20 Oct, 17:13

In this story: KMP Batumandi · Merak Port · Banten · Indonesia · Bakauheni · Sumatra

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