A serious incident occurred on the regular ferry route between Bali and Lombok on Wednesday, August 12. A fire broke out aboard KMP Putri Yasmin, which was sailing from Padangbai in Bali to Lembar in Lombok. Most of those on board were brought to safety, but one passenger died.
The fire started early in the morning while the ferry was crossing the Lombok Strait near Sekotong in West Lombok. Videos from the scene showed thick black smoke rising from the vessel as passengers wearing life jackets waited to be evacuated.
Conditions at sea made the rescue more difficult, with waves in the area reportedly reaching up to four metres. More than 200 people were involved in the operation, including search and rescue teams, the Indonesian Navy, police and crews from several other vessels. A helicopter was also deployed.
A total of 172 people were rescued. At least two people were taken to hospital with injuries. A 19-year-old Indonesian woman died in the incident.
Passenger numbers don’t match official records
One of the biggest questions surrounding the incident is how many people were actually travelling on the ferry.
According to records from Padangbai, there were 114 passengers and 17 crew members registered before departure – 131 people in total.
However, rescuers brought 172 people to safety and one passenger died. This means there were at least 173 people on board, 42 more than were officially recorded.
It is not yet clear why there is such a large difference. This does not necessarily mean the ferry was carrying more people than its permitted capacity, but it does raise questions about how passengers were recorded before departure.
Accurate passenger records are particularly important during an emergency at sea, as rescue teams need to know how many people they should be looking for.
KMP Putri Yasmin is a Ro-Ro ferry and was also carrying vehicles and cargo. According to available information, there were 44 vehicles and 53 motorcycles on board.
What caused the fire?
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.
One survivor told Indonesian media that the fire appeared to have started near a cargo vehicle. For now, however, this remains a witness account rather than an official conclusion, and the cause will need to be established by investigators.
KMP Putri Yasmin had been operating for more than three decades. The ferry was built in Japan in 1992, making it around 34 years old at the time of the incident. It is approximately 60 metres long and was designed to carry both passengers and vehicles.
The age of the vessel alone does not indicate that it was unsafe, and there is currently no confirmed link between the ferry’s age or technical condition and the fire.
Not the first serious ferry accident in Indonesia
Unfortunately, this is not the first serious ferry accident in Indonesia in recent years.
In July 2025, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya sank while travelling from Ketapang in Java towards Gilimanuk in Bali. And less than a month before the Putri Yasmin fire, another Indonesian ferry, KM Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire in an incident that killed five people.
In that case, authorities also found discrepancies between the number of people officially recorded and the actual number on board.
Ferries remain an essential part of transport across Indonesia, and the Padangbai–Lembar connection is regularly used by both locals and travellers. It is particularly useful for anyone who needs to take a motorcycle or car between Bali and Lombok.
The Putri Yasmin incident does not by itself mean that travellers should avoid public ferries. However, the results of the investigation will be important, particularly when it comes to determining what caused the fire and explaining why dozens more people were on board than official records indicated.
Public ferry or fast boat?
It is also worth pointing out that KMP Putri Yasmin was a public Ro-Ro ferry, not one of the fast boats commonly used by tourists travelling around Bali.
Public ferries are large vessels designed to transport passengers together with cars, motorcycles and cargo. Fast boats are a different type of service, primarily designed to get passengers between the islands much more quickly.
From Bali, fast boats operate to destinations including Lombok, Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, with many services departing from Padangbai, Sanur and Serangan.
Fast boat tickets can be booked online in advance, allowing you to compare departure times, prices and operators. You can search current connections and prices below.
This article was last updated on August 12, 2026. The investigation is ongoing and some information may change as further details are confirmed.
