KM.BARCELONA V.A

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Latest news

Search still on for two missing - captain under investigation

The master of the KM 'Barcelona V' has been named as a suspect by the North Sulawesi police in connection with the fire that burned through the vessel. He was under investigation because of passenger manifest irregularities and possible non-compliance with emergency procedures during the fire and evacuation. The possible involvement of other crew members was investigated too. Evidence collection was ongoing to ensure this case is completed and submitted to the courts as soon as possible. Passengers had engaged in apparent self-directed evacuation into the water, without use of the vessel's liferafts. There were not enough lifejackets on board the vessel, and passengers panicked. Two people remained missing, and a search was still under way off the coast of the island of Talisei. The questions about the vessel's manifest stem from differing passenger counts. Only 280 personnel, including 16 crew members, were listed on the official manifest. The SAR agency Basarnas recorded the rescue of 575 people from the water, plus three fatalities and two missing The Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has asked the police to investigate the details of the the 'Barcelona V's manifest. 13 agencies were involved in the post-accident inquiry.

Search for two missing passengers continued

The authorities were still investigating the cause of the fire aboard the KM 'Barcelona V.A.', which had started at the stern of the ferry and was extinguished within an hour. The fire might have started in cabin 33, but there was still a need for a formal verification of this. The ferry's documents initially listed only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, but on the afternoon of July 21, the Manado SAR Agency confirmed that 575 survivors have been rescued, including a two-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater. The baby was in stable condition at a hospital. Three bodies were recovered. The three fatalities were identified as Hugu Majuntu, Daniel Lena, and Betrivia Malimbulun, who died not from burns, but after jumping into the sea during the chaotic evacuation. Malimbulun was heavily pregnant at the time. The rescuers were still searching for two passengers who were reported missing on the morning of July 21, namely Levi Aiba and Hamen Langinan. The BASARNAS was still verifying whether they were previously evacuated or not. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more victims remaining onboard or missing at sea. SAR teams, assisted by local fishermen and Indonesian Navy personnel, continued combing the area amid thick smoke that still shrouded the vessel’s interior.The KM 'Barcelona V' was on a routine voyage from Talaud to Manado when the incident occurred near Likupang Barat, approximately 50 kilometers away from Manado, on July 20 at around 1.30 p.m. LT. The Indonesian Navy’s 4th Naval Education Unit, which was conducting training exercises nearby, had swiftly deployed its personnel upon receiving distress calls. The Navy vessels KRI 'Pari-849' and KAL 'Tedung Selar' were dispatched to assist in the SAR operation. Additional aid came from the ferries KM 'Barcelona IIIA' and KM 'Venecian', which diverted to help evacuate passengers. The survivors were evacuated to two key locations:, Munte Port (Likupang Timur) and the Bakamla Serey Pier (Likupang Barat). Injured victims were taken to the Walanda Maramis Regional Hospital, the Kandouw Malalayang General Hospital, and the ODSK Regional Hospital in Manado and North Minahasa. The PT Surya Pacific Indonesia, the owner of the KM 'Barcelona V', was providing coffins for the deceased to facilitate repatriation to their families. The Port operator PT Pelindo IV on July 21 arranged to transport the coffins of the bodies to Talaud Islands district, North Sulawesi, for burial. The office coordinated the transport arrangements with the Manado Port authority, harbor master, and ship operator. The coffins were loaded on the ferry KM 'Barcelona III', which was scheduled to depart from Manado Port’s Pier 4 at 5 p.m. LT. The survivors and family members of the deceased were also secured a passage on zjr KM 'Barcelona III', along with passengers who had bought tickets prior to the ferry fire. Reports with photos: https://www.vertigopolitico.com/internacional/notas/suman-575-sobrevivientes-un-ferry-en-llamas-en-indonesia https://en.antaranews.com/news/367997/ferry-fire-coffins-of-three-victims-sent-home-for-burial

Ferry ablaze off Talise Island - hundreds rescued, three died

The KM 'Barcelona VA', operating on the Manado-Tahuda route, caught fire in the Celebes Sea off Talise Island, Nort Sulawesi, on July 20, 2025, at 1.30 p.m. WITA The ship had 295 passengers and crew members on board according toi the manifest, and was en route Melonguane port to Manadu at that time. The fire started at the stern and quickly engulfed the upper decks, forcing the panicking people to jump into the water. No liferafts were to be seen., and not all passengers were equipped with life jackets. The national search and rescue agency has begun evacuating the blazing vessel, which was gutted by the fire. Three navy ships, the KRI 'Pari', the KN 'Gajah Laut 404' and the KAL 'Tedung Selartar' as well as a number of fishing vessels were involved in the SAR operation. Survivors were transported to Talise Island and Gangga Island. Separately, the Manado Search and Rescue Agency deployed 21 personnel aboard the KN 'Bima'. The cause of the fire was being investigated, while the wreck remained afloat and was taken on tow. The delayed departure of the ferry due to a storm the previous day has raised questions about potential mechanical or operational issues. Although early reports stated five fatalities, that number was revised to three after two passengers, including a 2-month-old baby, were found alive and treated in hospital. One of the deceased was a pregnant woman. The fire was extinguished within an hour. The ferry's manifest initially listed only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, but the National Search and Rescue Agency confirmed 568 survivors have been rescued, including three patients referred from Mala Hospital in the Talaud Islands who were rescued: Mr. Hugu Majuntu (diagnosed: epilepsy, post-stroke), Mrs. Betrivia Malimbulun (37–38 weeks pregnant, with complications), and Mr. Daniel Lena (diagnosed: inferior myocardial infarction/STEMI). Reports with photos and video: https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2025/7/20/video-passengers-jump-from-burning-ship-into-the-sea-in-indonesia https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.freepressjournal.in/amp/world/passengers-jump-into-sea-as-massive-fire-engulfs-barcelona-va-ferry-near-indonesias-talise-island-video https://en.antaranews.com/news/367669/km-iii-barcelona-catches-fire-in-north-sulawesi-waters-one-dies