Indonesian ferry fire survivor clings to tiny baby after abandoning ship in water

A man who leaptfrom a burning ferrywhile clinging to a baby was caught in chilling footage. Abdul Rahmad Agu shared the heart-in-mouth moments on a Facebook livestream, as people jumped off a boat that had caught fire in Indonesia.

The KM Barcelona 5 passenger ferry was carrying hundreds of people when it caught fire at sea earlier today off Sulawesi island, killing at least five people, officials said. Several more people remain unaccounted for, but it is not yet known exactly how many people were on board.

In the livestream, people can be seen jumping from the ferry into the water. Abdul can be heard saying: "Help, the KM Barcelona V is on fire. There are still many people on board… we are burning at sea… we need help fast.”

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The live stream, which lasted for around 28 minutes, showed the blaze destroying the ship. Chilling screams can be heard as people tried to clear the ship.

Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea. Orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.

The ferry was heading to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud, an island district in the province, when it caught fire in waters near Talise. Rescue and evacuation efforts are ongoing.

Vice-Admiral Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Fleet Command, said three navy ships have been deployed and 284 passengers and crew members had been evacuated so far. Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.

Residents of Mentawai Islands found several people stranded on July 14 after a speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm the day before, authorities said. All were in good condition.

A ferry sank near Indonesia’s resort island of Bali early this month, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 1,000 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.

Elsewhere, at least 38 people were killed after a boat carrying tourists capsized during a sudden thunderstorm in Vietnam during a sightseeing excursion yesterday. The Wonder Sea was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members – all of them Vietnamese – on a tour of the popular destination of Ha Long Bay, according to state media reports.

Rescue workers saved 11 people and recovered the dead near the site of the capsizing, VNExpress newspaper said. One survivor died in hospital due to their injuries. The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said. A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.

The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.