ASDP-Owned KMP Batumandi Catches Fire: Passengers and Crew Evacuated

PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) confirmed that all passengers and crew aboard KMP Batumandi had been evacuated by 5.05pm local time. The evacuation followed a fire that broke out as the vessel was manoeuvring to berth at Pier VI at Merak Port in Cilegon, Banten, on Tuesday afternoon (20 October).

KMP Batumandi had departed Bakauheni Port at about 2.52pm. At around 4.15pm, shore-based staff spotted sparks at the stern of the vessel.

“Response efforts are still under way, involving a joint team from the port, Basarnas and the police. ASDP is coordinating closely with the port authorities and relevant agencies to ensure the response is carried out in a co-ordinated manner, with everyone’s safety as the priority,” ASDP Corporate Secretary Windy Andale said.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated by the authorities. ASDP said it would support the investigation and provide further updates once information from the scene had been verified.

“The safety of passengers and crew is ASDP’s top priority,” she said.

ASDP reiterated that passenger and crew safety is always its foremost concern in ferry services. The company said it was committed to ensuring that incident-response procedures were carried out swiftly and in a co-ordinated manner, with safety prioritised, and that it would continue to strengthen co-operation with all relevant parties to ensure the situation was brought under control.