A viral video shows passengers plunging into the water as the fire engulfs the vessel.
Manado’s rescue agency said 571 people were on board despite the ferry’s manifest listing just 280 passengers and 15 crew members.
Including the fire on Sunday, Indonesia has recorded at least three boat disasters alone this month, in addition to a string of other similar incidents in previous years, in a country where ferries are often the only mode of transport available for inter-island connections.
On July 14, a speedboat carrying 18 passengers capsized due to a four-metre high wave in the waters around Mentawai in West Sumatra. All passengers were safe after they swam for six hours to the nearest shore. Rinto Wardana Samaloisa, regent of Mentawai Islands, told state news agency Antara that the ship was “over capacity” as it was only allowed to carry 10 passengers. The vessel also lacked a radio for communication, and it did not have the permit to sail from the harbour master on duty due to “extreme weather”.
