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At least five people, including a pregnant woman, died after a passenger ferry caught fire at sea off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Sunday July 20. The vessel, identified as KM Barcelona 5, was en route from Talaud Islands to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, when the fire broke out near Talise Island.
Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata from the Indonesian Fleet Command confirmed that a total of 284 people, including passengers and crew, had been safely rescued. The rescue operation involved three navy ships and was supported by local fishermen. He noted that the priority remained on evacuation, and an investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
A passenger Abdul Rahmad Agu shared a footage of the chaos as the fire spread. While live streaming from the sea, he was seen holding a baby in one arm while pleading for help. "Help, the KM Barcelona is on fire. There are still many people onboard," he said, his voice shaking. "We are burning at sea... we need help fast." In the background, passengers can be heard screaming as thick black smoke and flames engulf the vessel. The video, which lasted around 28 minutes, showed passengers jumping into the water in bright orange life jackets.
Just weeks before this incident, a ferry capsized near Bali, killing at least 19 people. In 2018, another disaster claimed over 150 lives when a ferry sank on Lake Toba in Sumatra.
According to Associated Press, the exact number of passengers onboard KM Barcelona 5 has not been confirmed and George Leo Mercy Randang, head of Manado Search and Rescue, urged families to remain calm as search operations continued. An official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
