{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 2046753,
        "msgid": "ferry-catches-fire-near-merak-port-passengers-evacuated-1792497093",
        "date": "2026-10-20 17:43:49",
        "title": "Ferry Catches Fire Near Merak Port, Passengers Evacuated",
        "author": "",
        "source": "DETIK",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Infrastructure",
        "summary": "The passenger ferry KMP Batumandi caught fire in the waters near Merak Port in Cilegon, Banten, prompting a joint emergency response to evacuate those on board. Authorities said the evacuation was ongoing and that information about casualties and the cause of the fire had not yet been established.",
        "content": "<p>The passenger motor vessel KMP Batumandi caught fire in waters near\nMerak Port, Cilegon, Banten. Emergency personnel are evacuating the\npassengers.<\/p>\n<p>Footage circulating on Tuesday (20 October 2026) showed thick black\nsmoke rising from the roll-on\/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel. The ship was\nstill in waters near Merak Port when the fire broke out.<\/p>\n<p>Other footage showed personnel evacuating passengers in small boats\nand taking them to a safer location.<\/p>\n<p>Banten Police public relations chief Commissioner Maruli Hutapea said\nthe fire broke out at around 4 pm local time on Tuesday (20 October). It\noccurred in the Sunda Strait, behind Merak Kecil Island, in Mekarsari\nsubdistrict, Pulomerak district, Cilegon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA passenger vessel, KMP Batumandi, caught fire in the waters of the\nSunda Strait, behind Merak Kecil Island in Mekarsari subdistrict,\nPulomerak district, Cilegon,\u201d Maruli said.<\/p>\n<p>Maruli said the evacuation was still under way. The Regional Disaster\nManagement Agency (BPBD) team and the Banten Police Water and Air Police\nDirectorate (Ditpolairud) had been deployed to respond to the\nincident.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBPBD and Banten Police Ditpolairud teams are currently carrying out\nthe evacuation. Information on the number of casualties and the cause of\nthe fire will be reported later,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>As of the latest update, there was no information about casualties or\nthe cause of the fire.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ferry-catches-fire-near-merak-port-passengers-evacuated-1792497093",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}