Indonesian passenger ferry erupts in flames as 460 people forced to flee

Hundreds of people have been rescued after a passenger ferry caught fire off Indonesia’s Java coast.

The ferry, KMP Batumandi, was carrying 420 passengers and 40 crew members when smoke was spotted near the stern of the vessel as it approached the Port of Merak in Banten province on Tuesday afternoon.

Vision of the incident circulating online shows large flames engulfing the ferry, triggering an emergency evacuation.

Rescue teams and local fishing boats rushed to the scene, with all passengers and crew safely evacuated as fire crews battled to contain the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Passengers were taken to port for further assessment, while 11 people were taken to a local hospital in nearby Cilegon for medical treatment, according to Xinhua news.

Merak is one of Indonesia’s busiest ferry routes and connects Java with Sumatra.

The incident highlights the country’s continued struggle with a deadly maritime safety record.

Only last month a passenger ferry sank in the Java sea while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, killing 80 of the 243 people on board, while 55 people remain missing.

In August a ferry caught fire off Madura Island, killing five people and 41 passengers left missing.

Again in July, a passenger ferry sank in the Bali Strait with 65 people on board, leaving 19 dead with 17 still reported as missing.