The KM Putri Yasmin caught fire around 4:15 a.m. on Aug. 12 while en route from Bali to Lombok, resulting in one confirmed death and the rescue of 211 people. Rescue teams from the Mataram Search and Rescue Office recovered the body of a 19-year-old woman and deployed roughly 200 responders. Rough seas with waves of about 13 feet hampered the operation, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The incident follows a separate ferry blaze near Java earlier this month that killed five.
One Dead, 211 Rescued After Ferry Blaze Near Bali as 13‑Foot Waves Hamper Response
An Aug. 12 ferry fire in IndonesiaCredit: BASARNAS/HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock
At least one passenger died and 211 people were rescued after the ferry KM Putri Yasmin caught fire in the early hours of Aug. 12 while traveling from a Bali port toward the nearby island of Lombok, Indonesian authorities said.
The blaze began at about 4:15 a.m. local time. The Mataram Search and Rescue Office was notified roughly 30 minutes later and deployed teams to the scene, where crews recovered the body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman and evacuated hundreds of others.
People being rescued from an Aug. 12 ferry fire in IndonesiaCredit: AFP via Getty
"The safety of everyone on board was our top priority," Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the rescue agency, told reporters. Officials said roughly 200 responders were sent to assist in the operation.
Rescue efforts were complicated by rough seas, with waves reported at about 13 feet high, which hampered evacuation and transfer of survivors to rescue vessels. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire.
Context and Concerns
The incident follows a separate deadly ferry blaze near the island of Java earlier this month that killed five people, renewing scrutiny of maritime safety standards across the Indonesian archipelago. Investigations into both fires are ongoing.
Officials continue to coordinate survivor care and inquiries into the circumstances that led to the blaze. Further details, including an official cause, have not been released.
Help us improve.
