A passenger ferry caught fire in the Lombok Strait early Wednesday while en route from Bali to Lombok, prompting a major rescue operation that safely evacuated all 131 people on board with no reported casualties.
The KMP Putri Yasmin was travelling from Padang Bai to Lembar when the blaze broke out at 04:15 local time. Search and rescue offices in Mataram and Denpasar deployed vessels and a helicopter, joining navy, police, and civilian boats in a response involving more than 200 personnel. Port authority official Heri Wiyanto confirmed the manifest listed 114 passengers and 17 crew.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though local reports suggest a truck on board may have ignited. The Padang Bai–Lembar crossing is a key link between Bali and Lombok, popular with both commuters and tourists.