Ferry Putri Yasmin catches fire in Lombok Strait; one dead, 172 rescued

A fatal fire broke out aboard the Indonesian-flagged Ro-Ro/Passenger Ship Putri Yasmin with passengers on board in Lombok Strait, Indonesia, on 12 August. One person was reported dead, and 172 others were rescued by Indonesian authorities.

Ferry PURTI YASMIN, image credit: Komang Arya

The fire was reported at approximately 4:39 am local time while the Putri Yasmin was sailing from Padangbai port in Bali to Lembar port in Lombok.

The incident prompted a large-scale rescue operation involving 200 personnel by Indonesian authorities. Multiple boats were also deployed to evacuate the passengers. One person was confirmed dead, while 172 people were evacuated, with the search continuing for any other missing passengers. The rescued passengers were transported to ports in Bali and Lombok.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities have yet to establish the exact number of people onboard and whether overcrowding contributed to the incident.