Today we bring further worrying news regarding maritime safety in the idyllic region of Bali in Indonesia, following the second fatal maritime accident in less than a month. The ferry travelling the Bali-Lombok route caught fire off the coast of Lombok (one of the island nation’s main tourist destinations), and at least one fatality (an Indonesian national) has been reported, with 212 people rescued from the water by the emergency services.
The KM Putri Yasmin had set sail from the port of Padangbai in Bali bound for the port of Lembar, according to Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the local rescue service, speaking to Reuters. The causes of the fire are unknown, and it is unclear whether overcrowding was a contributing factor. An official at the port of Padangbai in Bali told local broadcaster Kompas TV that only 114 passengers and 17 crew members were listed on the ferry’s manifest before departure.
