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Seven killed in Indonesia ferry accident

By AFP
August 18, 2019

KENDARI, Indonesia: Seven people, including two children, were killed and four others missing after a ferry carrying dozens of passengers caught fire off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island early on Saturday, police said.

The ferry, heading from Southeast Sulawesi to an island in Central Sulawesi, caught fire shortly after midnight.

"Suddenly there were sparks in the engine and fire quickly spread to other parts of the boat," local police spokesman Harry Goldenhard said in a statement. Police suspect the fire was triggered when the diesel tank exploded. It was unclear how many people were aboard the vessel at the time.