More than 560 people have been rescued and three confirmed dead after a passenger ferry caught fire in the waters off North Sulawesi province on Sunday(July 20), Indonesian authorities confirmed on Monday. The vessel, KM Barcelona 5, was en route from Melonguane port in the Talaud Islands district to Manado when the fire broke out midday, triggering a large-scale emergency operation.
According to First Admiral Franky Pasuna Sihombing, chief of the Manado Navy base, the fire began in the ferry's stern and was extinguished within an hour. However, by the time emergency services responded, many passengers had already jumped into the sea to escape the flames. Dramatic footage shared on social media showed terrified passengers leaping overboard as thick black smoke and flames engulfed the vessel.
A coordinated rescue effort involving a coast guard ship, six search-and-rescue vessels, inflatable boats, and local fishermen saved 568 individuals from the water. Some survivors were found drifting in choppy seas wearing life jackets and were pulled to safety by nearby villagers and navy personnel.
Though early reports indicated five fatalities, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) later revised the figure to three. Two people initially reported as dead were found alive and are being treated in a hospital, including a two-month-old infant who had inhaled seawater.
Among the deceased was a pregnant woman. No passengers are currently listed as missing, though the rescue operation remains active to ensure no one was overlooked during the chaotic evacuation.
The ferry's passenger manifest had listed only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, far below the actual number rescued. Authorities noted that such discrepancies are not uncommon in Indonesia and can seriously complicate rescue operations. KM Barcelona 5 is rated for a maximum capacity of 600 people.
This latest incident is part of a troubling pattern in Indonesia’s maritime transport sector, where lax safety protocols and overcapacity are recurring issues. On July 14, a speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm; all passengers were rescued by the following day. Earlier in the month, a separate ferry disaster off Bali’s coast claimed at least 19 lives, with 16 still missing. That tragedy prompted a two-week search operation involving hundreds of personnel, navy ships, helicopters, and divers.
Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on marine transportation, but the sector remains plagued by inadequate safety standards, outdated vessels, and poorly enforced regulations. Maritime authorities are under renewed pressure to tighten inspections and enforce passenger limits in the wake of the recent string of accidents.
BOB Post
