Second serious ferry fire in Indonesia within 10 days

FerryOne person has been confirmed dead, and 212 people were rescued alive from the Indonesian ferry PUTRI YASMIN after a fire broke out on board at 04:39 local time on 12 August. The ferry was off Lombok while sailing from Bali, according to Indonesian authorities cited by several media outlets.

The 1,478 GT PUTRI YASMIN, built in 1992 and acquired second-hand from Japan by Indonesian ferry operator Jemla Ferry in 2011, was sailing from Padangbai, Bali, to Lembar when the fire occurred.

The accident happened just 10 days after another Indonesian ferry, MUTIARA SENTOSA II, caught fire 19 nautical miles north of Sapudi Island, killing at least five people (see separate article).

The Port of Padangbai subsequently reported that only 114 passengers and 17 crew members were registered on the ferry’s manifest. There have so far been no reports of anyone missing from PUTRI YASMIN, and the cause of the fire remains at the moment unknown.