Ferry Putri Yasmin Catches Fire in Lombok Strait With 131 Aboard

A passenger ferry caught fire early Wednesday in the Lombok Strait. Within hours rescuers had pulled 112 of the 131 people aboard to safety, though rough seas continued to slow the search for the rest.

The KMP Putri Yasmin had left Padang Bai port in Bali just after 4 AM, heading for Lembar on Lombok island, when the fire broke out. Navy crews, coast-guard patrol boats and at least one nearby ferry joined the rescue. An adjacent ferry brought 36 passengers back to Bali; a search-and-rescue team evacuated 59 more; naval personnel picked up 17 others. Waves reached four metres.

The ferry's manifest listed 114 passengers and 17 crew. No casualties had been confirmed by mid-morning Wednesday.

It was the second time in about ten days that an Indonesian ferry had caught fire. Rescue teams were still working the area.