A passenger vessel serving Talaud-Manado route, caught fire in Talise waters on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
The Indonesia-flagged ship was headed to Manado, the capital city of the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi, from Talaud, when it caught fire in Talise waters, said Indonesian authorities.
A video released by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency showed a rescue vessel as it approached the passenger ship, which had black smoke billowing from its side.
According to preliminary data, about 280 passengers were aboard the vessel, the rescue agency said.
The video shared by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed flames billowing from the ferry as multiple people could be seen in the water in orange life jackets.
A massive search and rescue mission took place involving several ships, including a rigid inflatable boat (RIB), a rubber boat, and rescue teams.
The Indonesian Fleet Command said two navy ships had been deployed to lead the rescue operation. Two other ships in the vicinity immediately moved to the scene to provide initial assistance.
Meanwhile, the agency released visuals of the rescue operation, showing passengers being transported to rescue boats.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by authorities. “The evacuation and incident management continues intensively, in coordination with the relevant authorities,” officials reported on Sunday.
