
A ship carrying 280 people burst into flames off the coast of Indonesia, forcing terrified passengers to jump into the sea wearing life jackets.
The tragic moments were captured by cell phone cameras and circulated on social media.
The footage shows the huge fire and a thick cloud of smoke rising into the sky.
The fire broke out on the KM Barcelona ship, which was operating on the Manado-Tahunda route, today at around 1:30 p.m. local time.
The search and rescue operation is still underway. Two ships, several rigid inflatable boats, and other vessels have been deployed, Ariyanto said.
— Oman Observer ???????? (@OmanObserver) July 20, 2025
The ship, KM Barcelona 5, caught fire while sailing in the waters off Manado, the capital city of the province, at around 1:00 pm... pic.twitter.com/541vvmiAa5
Passengers began screaming in panic and crying in fear. They all donned life jackets and, with the help of the crew, jumped into the sea. In fact, photographs and video footage captured many of them floating in the water, trying to escape the burning ship.
A fire broke out on the KM Barcelona VA ferry, also known as the KM Barcelona V or the Gregorius Barcelona V, at around 1:30 pm local time on July 20, 2025. The fire occurred off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, near Talise Island in the North Minahasa Regency. The ferry… pic.twitter.com/BmKSXy8gsO
— T_CAS videos (@tecas2000) July 20, 2025
Another video shows a small child being rescued by a man, who recounts the incredible incident. He holds the coughing toddler in his arms.
The cause of the fire is still unknown. Three rescue vessels, KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian and KM Cantika Lestari 9F, rushed to the scene, while fortunately no casualties were reported.