8.18°C Vancouver

Jul 21, 2025 11:02 AM - The Associated Press

568 people survived after an Indonesian passenger ferry caught fire at sea, killing 3

Share On
568-people-survived-after-an-indonesian-passenger-ferry-caught-fire-at-sea-killing-3
Indonesia isan archipelagoof more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.(Photo - The Canadian Press)

Indonesian rescuers evacuating people from a passenger ferry thatcaught fireat sea said Monday more than 560 were rescued and three died.

The KM Barcelona 5 caught fire around midday Sunday while heading to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, on its regular half-day journey from Melonguane port in Talaud Islands district in the same province, according to First Adm. Franky Pasuna Sihombing, chief of the Manado navy base.

A coast guard ship, six rescue vessels and several inflatable boats were deployed in the rescue operation, Sihombing said. The crews pulled many people from the sea and took them to nearby islands, and local fishermen also saved some survivors wearing life jackets as they were drifting in the choppy waters.

Photos and videos circulated on social media showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.

There were no immediate reports of injuries and people still missing. Authorities previously said five people had died, but the National Search and Rescue Agency revised it to three early Monday after two passengers initially reported as dead were saved in a hospital, including a 2-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater.

The fire that began in the ferry's stern was extinguished within an hour, Sihombing said. The ferry's manifest initially registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew members but the national rescue agency confirmed 568 survivors had been rescued and three bodies recovered, including a pregnant woman.

It is common for the number of passengers on a boat or ferry to differ from the manifest in Indonesia. This discrepancy can contribute to accidents and can complicate search and rescue efforts, Sihombing said.

Indonesia isan archipelagoof more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.

A speedboat carrying 18 people capsizedduring a storm July 14, and all its occupants were found rescued by the next day. Earlier in the month,a ferry sanknear Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 600 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.

Latest news

trump-imposes-extra-10-tariff-on-canadian-goods-after-ontario-anti-tariff-ad
CanadaOct 25, 2025

Trump Imposes Extra 10% Tariff on Canadian Goods After Ontario Anti-Tariff Ad

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is adding a 10 per cent surcharge on imports from Canada, citing frustration over an Ontario government advertisement that criticized American trade tariffs. The ad, which used a quote from former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, aired during the opening game of the World Series and called for fairer treatment of Canadian products. Trump announced the additional tariff on his social media platform Truth Social while en route to Malaysia aboard Air Force One. He said Ontario Premier Doug Ford should have removed the advertisement sooner, despite Ford’s commitm
two-vancouver-men-charged-after-cfseu-bc-investigation-targets-fentanyl-trafficking-network
BCOct 24, 2025

Two Vancouver men charged after CFSEU-BC investigation targets fentanyl trafficking network

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia says two Vancouver men are facing multiple drug trafficking charges after a months-long investigation that disrupted an organized network accused of distributing fentanyl and other illicit substances across the Lower Mainland. The investigation began in February 2024 after CFSEU-BC’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force identified a suspect believed to be supplying large amounts of fentanyl and other drugs through a coordinated network. On October 2, 2024, police executed search warrants at two homes in the region, seizing more than thr
man-found-not-criminally-responsible-in-2023-vancouver-chinatown-festival-stabbings
BCOct 24, 2025

Man found not criminally responsible in 2023 Vancouver Chinatown festival stabbings

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled that a man who stabbed three people during a Vancouver Chinatown festival in 2023 is not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder. Justice Eric Gottardi delivered the decision Friday, saying the law does not convict people for acts committed while they are mentally ill. The ruling concerns 67-year-old Blair Donnelly, whose trial heard he believed he was acting under divine instruction when he carried out the attack last September. Court testimony showed Donnelly had asked the Holy Spirit for a sign not to proceed, but said he “wanted to obey God”
alberta-pays-95-million-to-settle-another-coal-policy-lawsuit-total-payouts-near-240-million
AlbertaOct 24, 2025

Alberta pays $95 million to settle another coal policy lawsuit, total payouts near $240 million

The Alberta government has agreed to pay $95 million to Evolve Power, resolving another lawsuit linked to the province’s reversal of its coal policy. The latest settlement brings total payouts to almost $240 million, following a $143 million agreement reached earlier this year with another mining company. According to a notice to shareholders, Evolve Power will return two coal leases to the province as part of the deal. The company said the agreement represents the best possible outcome and that its board will soon determine dividends for shareholders. Energy Minister Brian Jean’s office c
fraser-valley-hospital-begins-4-95m-mri-upgrade-to-improve-diagnostic-access
BCOct 24, 2025

Fraser Valley hospital begins $4.95M MRI upgrade to improve diagnostic access

Patients across the Fraser Valley will soon benefit from faster and more accurate diagnostic imaging as Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre undergoes a $4.95 million upgrade to its MRI unit. The project aims to enhance imaging quality and reduce wait times for residents needing critical scans. During the construction period, a mobile MRI unit will remain on site to ensure uninterrupted service. The hospital’s existing MRI scanner, which has surpassed its expected lifespan, will be fully refurbished using its original magnet – the most energy-intensive component to produce – wh

Related News