Ship carrying 166 people catches fire in Java Sea

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Mon, October 30, 2017


KM Dharma Kencana II, a roll-on roll-off (RoRo) passenger vessel, caught fire on Sunday morning while sailing from Semarang in Central Java to Pontianak in West Kalimantan.

“The incident occurred around 47 nautical miles [87 kilometers] northeast of Karimunjawa Island,” Central Java search and rescue team (Basarnas) spokesman Zulhawary Agustianto said on Sunday.

All 119 passengers and 47 crew members were evacuated to tugboat TB Citra 59, which approached the scene upon receiving a distress call from the burning ship. The evacuees were then transferred to KM Kirana I, which was on its way to Kumai Port in Central Kalimantan.

Apart from TB Citra 59 and KM Kirana I, at least seven other vessels from the water police, the Navy, Basarnas and private companies came to the location to assist.

“We have yet to receive further information regarding the burning vessel’s condition,” Zulhawary told The Jakarta Post on Sunday afternoon.

The roro boat departed from Tanjung Emas harbor in Central Java’s capital of Semarang on Saturday afternoon, helmed by captain Bambang Tri W.

As of Sunday evening, the cause of the incident was unknown.



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