One person died and 172 others were rescued after a ferry traveling from Bali caught fire on Wednesday [1], [2].
The incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with maritime transport in the Indonesian archipelago, where ferries are critical for connecting tourist hubs and residential islands.
The fire broke out on the KM Putri Yasmin between 4:15 a.m. and 4:39 a.m. [3]. The vessel was traveling from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on the neighboring island of Lombok [3].
Indonesian authorities said 172 people were rescued from the waters off Lombok [2]. Local officials said one person died during the emergency [1].
According to manifest records, the ferry was carrying 114 passengers and 17 crew members [2]. The vessel also transported a significant number of vehicles, including 44 cars and 53 motorcycles [2].
"One person has died and 172 others have been rescued after a ferry travelling from Bali caught fire, local officials say," ABC News reported [1].
The search and rescue office in Mataram said the fire began while the ferry was in transit across the Lombok Strait [3]. Authorities have not yet reported the exact cause of the blaze [2].
“One person died and 172 others were rescued after a ferry traveling from Bali caught fire.”
The rescue of 172 people suggests a successful emergency response, yet the discrepancy between the manifest count of 131 total personnel and the number of rescued individuals indicates either undocumented passengers or a complex accounting of survivors. This event underscores the vulnerability of inter-island transit in Indonesia, where high-capacity ferries often carry a mix of passengers and vehicles through busy shipping lanes.
