Ferry Fire Triggers Mass Evacuation Off Indonesia’s Java Island
The vessel, KMP Batumandi, was transporting 420 passengers and 40 crew members when the blaze erupted near Merak Besar Island in Banten province, prompting an emergency response.
Authorities deployed 18 vessels and support units to assist with firefighting and evacuation efforts. The operation involved rescue boats, tugboats, patrol vessels and fishing boats, with emergency teams working for several hours to bring everyone to safety.
Broadcast footage showed heavy black smoke rising from the ferry as passengers rushed to escape the burning vessel.
Officials had not immediately determined what caused the fire.
Merak serves as a key maritime gateway between Java and Sumatra, with ferries crossing the Sunda Strait along one of Indonesia’s busiest sea transport corridors.
Indonesia, an archipelago comprising more than 17,000 islands, has experienced numerous maritime disasters over the years.
Last month, a ferry capsized in the Java Sea, leaving more than 80 people dead.
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