Watch: Indonesian ferry packed with 300 bursts into flames, passengers forced to jump into sea

Panic gripped passengers on board an Indonesian ferry after it caught hearth mid-sea close to Southeast Sulawesi on Sunday. The vessel, reportedly carrying almost 300 passengers, was en route from Kendari to Makassar when flames erupted, prompting emergency evacuation efforts.Local authorities mentioned at the least 18 folks have been injured, many affected by burns and smoke inhalation in the course of the chaos that adopted the fireplace outbreak. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported to date.Videos circulating on social media confirmed terrified passengers leaping into the sea as thick black smoke engulfed the vessel. Other footage confirmed folks scrambling to put on life jackets, whereas some frantically made telephone calls.“According to initial information, the fire is located off Talise Island,” mentioned Jerry Harmonsina, secretary of the North Sulawesi regional catastrophe administration company, in an announcement to native media outlet Detik. The hearth reportedly broke out on Sunday afternoon.Rescue efforts are underway. Harmonsina confirmed that groups from the Navy, National Search and Rescue Agency, Coast Guard, and even native fishermen are aiding in evacuating passengers from the burning vessel.The precise reason for the fireplace stays unclear. Local authorities have but to present a confirmed rely of passengers rescued.Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, usually depends closely on ferries for inter-island transport, the place security lapses are widespread regardless of repeated warnings.