One person died and 172 were rescued after a passenger ferry caught fire in rough seas off Indonesia's Bali island on Wednesday, with rescue operations continuing, authorities said.
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The Putri Yasmin ferry was carrying passengers and crew when the fire broke out at around 4:15 am while it was travelling from Padang Bai port in Bali to Lembar port on the neighbouring island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara province.
Authorities said 172 people had been rescued as crews from Indonesian navy ships, patrol boats and rescue vessels battled the blaze. A helicopter was also deployed to conduct an aerial survey of the area.
“Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members,” said Muhammad Hariyadi, who heads the Mataram Search and Rescue Office.
Hariyadi said rough seas, with waves reaching up to 4 metres (13 feet), were making the rescue operation more difficult.
The Mataram Search and Rescue Office received an emergency report nearly 30 minutes after the fire started and immediately sent rescue personnel and vessels to the scene.
The ferry was carrying 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles, according to passenger manifest data released by the Padang Bai port authority.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries for inter-island travel. Ferry accidents are relatively common in the country, with weak safety enforcement often cited as a contributing factor.
