Overview
- The passenger ferry KM Putri Yasmin caught fire early Wednesday while crossing from Padang Bai in Bali to Lembar in Lombok and crews moved in with navy ships, patrol boats, rescue vessels and a helicopter to evacuate people.
- Rescuers ultimately accounted for 172 people and recovered the body of a 19-year-old woman, with at least two Australian tourists among those brought ashore.
- Official manifest data listed 114 passengers and 17 crew, but authorities and later reports said more people were rescued than were on the manifest, pointing to gaps in passenger accounting.
- The ferry was carrying 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles and survivors told investigators the blaze likely began in a cargo vehicle before spreading, while rough seas with waves up to about 4 metres complicated rescue efforts.
- The fire follows a deadly ferry blaze off Java last week and has prompted ongoing investigations by safety authorities and renewed scrutiny of operator checks, vehicle carriage rules and enforcement across Indonesia's ferry network.