Evacuation underway after passenger ferry catches fire off Indonesia's Java
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 03:27 PM 20 October 2026
Rescuers launched an evacuation operation after a passenger ferry caught fire off Indonesia's Java island on Tuesday, local media reported.
The ferry caught fire near Merak Besar Island in Banten province, local broadcaster Kompas TV reported, citing rescue officials.
The number of passengers and crew on board, possible casualties and the cause of the fire were not immediately known.
Merak is a major ferry port connecting Java and Sumatra islands across the Sunda Strait, one of Indonesia's busiest ferry routes.
Indonesia, a nation of more than 17,000 islands, has a long history of maritime accidents.
More than 80 people were killed when a ferry capsized in the Java Sea last month.