More than 500 people were rescued from Indonesia’s ferry fire, killing at least 3 people – Country
Rescue workers said Monday that the number of people rescued from Indonesian passenger ferries increased to 575, but three people died, but two were missing.
Public Barcelona Virginia caught fire around noon Sunday while also taking a half-day trip between two ports in North Sulawesi, from Mellon Gunn to Manado, according to First Duchess Franky Pasuna Sihombing.
Sihombing said a Coast Guard, six rescue ships and several inflatable ships were deployed in the rescue operation. The crew pulled many people from the sea, took them to nearby islands, and local fishermen also rescued some survivors wearing life jackets as they drifted in rough waters.
Photos and videos circulating on social media show horror passengers, mainly wearing life jackets, jumping into the ocean, orange flames and black smoke rolling from the burning ships.
Sihombing said authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire that began at the stern of the ferry and put it out within an hour.
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The apparent initially registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, but by Monday afternoon, Manado’s search and rescue agency confirmed that 575 survivors had been rescued, including a two-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with sea water. The baby is now in a stable state in the hospital.
The agency said in a statement that three bodies, including a pregnant woman, were reportedly searching for two passengers who were still missing.
It is common that the number of passengers on board or ferry differs from the list in Indonesia. Sihombing said the difference could lead to accidents and complicate search and rescue efforts.
The ferry capacity is 600 people.
Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, and ferries are a common way to travel. Disasters occur frequently and safety law enforcement is weak.
On July 14, a speedboat carrying 18 people was found to have 18 people, and all its crew members were found to be found the next day. Earlier this month, a ferry sank near the Indonesian resort of Bali, with at least 19 people dead and 16 missing. The two-week search involved more than 600 rescue workers, three naval ships, 15 ships, a helicopter and divers.
–Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia contributed to the report.
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