A passenger ship with hundreds of people on board caught fire on Sunday off the coast of Sulawesi island in Indonesia, killing at least five people, including a pregnant woman.
The KM Barcelona 5 ship had departed from the Talawit archipelago and was traveling towards Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, when the fire broke out near the coastal area of Talawit.
According to a statement by Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata, commander of the Indonesian Navy, three warships were involved in the rescue operation, and so far 284 people, including passengers and crew members, have been rescued.
TERRIFYING SCENES: Ferry carrying 280 people bursts into flames off Indonesia, forcing passengers to jump into the sea. Rescue crews save over 260, search ongoing for missing. 18 injured, including children. pic.twitter.com/C3NnE6tMKN
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Local fishermen also came to the aid of the survivors, rescuing several people in life jackets who had been carried by the currents to surrounding islands.
It is still not known exactly how many people were on board at the time of the incident and there are no reports of serious injuries.
" We are still focusing on rescue efforts, " Hendrata said, adding that the causes of the fire are still under investigation.