Over 560 rescued, three dead after passenger ferry catches fire in Indonesia PHOTO/VIDEO

More than 560 people were rescued and three confirmed dead after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, authorities reported on July 21.

The KM Barcelona 5 ferry was en route to Manado, the provincial capital, from Melonguane port in the Talaud Islands when it caught fire around midday on July 20, according to First Admiral Franky Pasuna Sihombing, head of the Manado navy base, Caliber.Az reports, citign AP.

A large-scale rescue operation was immediately launched, involving a coast guard ship, six rescue vessels, several inflatable boats, and local fishing boats. Many passengers were pulled from the sea and taken to nearby islands. Dramatic footage circulating on social media showed terrified passengers—most wearing life jackets—leaping into the ocean as the vessel was engulfed in flames and thick black smoke.

Although early reports indicated five fatalities, the National Search and Rescue Agency revised the number to three after two passengers—one of them a two-month-old baby—were revived at a hospital. The three confirmed deaths included a pregnant woman.

The fire, which started in the ferry’s stern, was brought under control within an hour, Sihombing said. Although the ferry's manifest listed only 280 passengers and 15 crew, officials confirmed 568 people had been rescued. The vessel has a maximum capacity of 600.

🚨BREAKING🚨

3 dead, 150 rescued after ferry catches fire in waters off Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province... THIS IS CRAZY!!!! pic.twitter.com/vJNO9TRGvQ

— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) July 20, 2025

Officials acknowledged that discrepancies between passenger manifests and actual headcounts are common in Indonesia and often hinder rescue efforts.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and search operations are ongoing. Authorities have not confirmed whether any passengers are still missing.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries for transportation. However, poor safety standards and overcrowding frequently lead to maritime disasters. The latest incident follows several recent accidents, including a ferry sinking near Bali earlier this month that left at least 19 dead and 16 missing, and a speedboat capsize on July 14, in which all 18 passengers were rescued.

By Sabina Mammadli