Bali ferry catches fire in rough seas, forcing passengers to jump overboard

More than 200 people have been rescued and at least one person has died after a ferry caught fire in rough seas near the Indonesian tourist island of Bali.

The Putri Yasmin ferry was travelling from Bali to Lombok on Wednesday when the fire broke out at about 4:15 AM, according to authorities cited by the Associated Press.

By Wednesday afternoon, rescuers had evacuated 211 people, including two Australian tourists. The body of a 19-year-old Indonesian woman was also recovered.

“Our top priority is the safety of all passengers and crew members,” Muhammad Hariyadi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, said.

Officials initially said 131 people, including 17 crew members, were aboard based on the ship’s manifest. Authorities are investigating why the number rescued was significantly higher.

“This is a serious issue that will be thoroughly investigated,” Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said.

Survivors told authorities the fire appeared to have started in a cargo truck before spreading rapidly through the ferry. Some passengers were forced to jump into the sea.

At least two injured passengers were taken to hospital.

Six vessels, a helicopter, inflatable boats and private yachts joined the rescue operation, which was complicated by rough seas and waves reaching four metres.