280 passengers were on board a ferry in Indonesia that caught on fire on Sunday, July 20. The devastating blaze resulted in the death of at least one person, with the number expected to rise, per PEOPLE.
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One Dead After Ferry Holding 280 Passengers Catches Fire
Horrifying footage of the KM Barcelona VA vessel bursting into flames was shared on X. You could hear the person filming crying hysterically in the background as they floated in the water, watching the fire engulf the boat.
“Moment by moment, passengers jump into the sea as KM Narcelona 5 burns in front of Talise Island,” read the translated caption.
According to Jakarta Globe, the ferry was traveling between Manado and the Talaud Islands when the fire began. It was right off the coast of North Sulawesi as the flames erupted around 12 PM local time.
North Sulawesi Search and Rescue (SAR) Agency immediately began rescuing and evacuating passengers to the nearby Ganga Island.
“Our operation is currently focused on locating and rescuing any remaining passengers who may still be aboard the vessel,” said SAR spokesperson Nuriadin Gumeleng.
A second video shared by the same person showed what the inferno looked like from the inside. Someone still on the ferry began showing proof of the destructive flames. They then grouped up with other passengers who were all stuck on board trying to escape.
“Moment by moment, the burning of the ship KM Barcelona 5 from Talaud to Manado in front of Talise Island, Manado,” they wrote in the translated caption.
Although we don’t yet know the identity of the deceased passenger, we know it was a woman. We also don’t know whether the woman died in the fire or by drowning. Officials expect the death toll to rise as they find more survivors and bodies.
According to the outlet, the Barcelona is one of the province’s busiest maritime routes. While this accident is rare for this type of ferry, just 16 days before this incident, a different ferry experienced an accident. It was a passenger ferry that sank in the Bali Strait, resulting in around half of its passengers and crew dead or missing.
Pelindo, a state-owned port operator, revealed it set up an emergency shelter at Manado Port. This way, they could help provide medical care and anything else for the survivors.