1 dead, 172 rescued from ferry fire near Bali

Crews rescued 172 people and recovered the body of one passenger from a ferry that caught fire in rough seas near the Indonesian tourist island of Bali. The Putri Yasmin ferry caught fire at about 4:15 a.m. while traveling from Bali's Padang Bai port to Lombok's Lembar port. The search and rescue office in Mataram received an emergency report nearly 30 minutes later and immediately deployed rescue vessels.

Initial reports indicated 131 people were on board, including 17 crew members, according to the ship's manifest. However, officials later stated more people were on the ferry than listed, a common occurrence in Indonesia where passenger numbers often differ from manifests. The vessel was also carrying 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles.

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Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members.

Rescuers evacuated 172 individuals from the burning ferry, including two Australian tourists. The body of a 19-year-old Indonesian girl was recovered. At least two injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital. Authorities are continuing to account for all victims. The incident occurred less than two weeks after another Indonesian ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire off Java, killing at least five people.

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The response operation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to account for all victims.