The ferry KM Putri Yasmin caught fire in the Lombok Strait at about 4:39 a.m. local time on August 12 while traveling from Padangbai port in Bali to Lembar port in Lombok [1, 2]. One 19-year-old Indonesian woman died in the blaze [3, 1, 2]. More than 210 people, reported as 211 or 212, were rescued alive and brought ashore by nearby vessels, including navy ships and another ferry, during coordinated rescue efforts involving over 200 personnel [3, 1, 4, 2]. Five passengers remain missing following the fire and evacuation [3, 2].
Survivors described panic and difficult conditions as they scrambled for life jackets amid large waves. One survivor said, "There were a few hours before there was any help," while another noted, "The evacuation was difficult because the waves were big, and when the rescue ship came, the waves were even bigger than the ferry we were on" [3].
Confusion remains over the ferry manifest which reportedly listed only 114 passengers and 17 crew, while the actual number onboard was more than 210 according to one official [1]. Authorities have deployed vessels to assist in evacuation and instructed all ships in the Lombok Strait to aid or report any victims found [3, 1]. Government representative Muhamad Hariyadi said, "We have deployed some boats to carry out the evacuation and coordinate with other boats surrounding the location of the incident" and added that passing ships were asked to provide assistance or inform rescue teams immediately [3, 1].
Marine accidents are frequent in Indonesia due to lax safety enforcement and unpredictable weather. Similar recent incidents include a ferry fire off Madura island in July that killed five people and a ferry sinking near Sulawesi with 14 missing [3, 1, 2]. Among those rescued were mostly Indonesians with one Australian national [1].
Search and rescue teams continue working on August 13 to locate the five missing passengers in the waters off Bali and Lombok [3, 2].
