A ferry with 280 passengers caught fire near Indonesia: people jumped into the water to save themselves

A large-scale maritime tragedy occurred off the coast of Indonesia – the passenger ferry “Barcelona 5” with 280 people on board caught fire right in the middle of the ocean. People jumped into the water in panic to escape the flames. According to the latest data, at least four people died.

This is reported by the Daily Mail .

It is noted that the incident occurred on July 20, 2025 near the island of Talisay, north of Sulawesi. The ferry “Barcelona 5” was making a regular voyage to the port of Manado, but shortly after noon a large-scale fire suddenly broke out on board the vessel.

Eyewitnesses posted eerie videos from the scene of the tragedy on social media: thick black smoke, the ship’s superstructure engulfed in flames, and passengers — wearing life jackets — desperately throwing themselves overboard to escape the fire.

“We’re burning at sea… we need help… fast…” one of the passengers, Abdul Rahmad Agu, emotionally broadcast live. His video became one of the first testimonies of the disaster.

Rescue vessels and the coast guard quickly arrived at the scene. Some of the passengers were evacuated to the nearby island of Ganga. However, authorities warn that it is not yet possible to verify that all passengers have left the ship. The fate of some of them remains unknown.

Local rescue service spokesman Nuriadin Gumelen said the rescuers’ main task remains to rescue those who may still be in the burning hold or on the lower decks. The search and rescue operation is ongoing.

Local authorities have already confirmed at least four victims of the tragedy, but do not rule out that the death toll could rise. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined – an investigation has been launched.

Recall that a large-scale fire broke out in the Pacific Ocean on the Morning Midas ship , which was transporting about three thousand cars, including 800 electric cars and 2,200 traditional cars on a palm tree.

Earlier, an accident occurred in South Korean waters on the Russian refrigerated vessel Crystal Asia – an explosion and fire injured several crew members. The incident occurred on March 26 near the port of Kamcheon in the city of Busan.

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