Basarnas: All KM Batumandi Passengers Successfully Evacuated

Cilegon (ANTARA) – Basarnas Banten said all passengers aboard the fire-stricken KM Batumandi had been safely evacuated by joint teams at the scene.

“Regarding the latest developments in the KM Batumandi accident, the information we have received is that all passengers have been evacuated,” Rizky Dwianto, Head of Operations and Readiness at Basarnas Banten, said in Cilegon on Tuesday.

He explained that passengers were evacuated in stages using various ferry and rescue vessels, including patrol boats, fishing boats, inflatable boats and Basarnas Banten’s rigid inflatable boat (RIB). They were then taken to Executive Pier 6 at Merak Port.

Basarnas Banten is still working intensively with relevant agencies to confirm the number of passengers and check the ship’s manifest. “We are continuing to coordinate on the manifest with the relevant stakeholders, including ASDP and the Harbormaster and Port Authority [KSOP],” Rizky added.

“Some fires are still burning. That is now the joint team’s focus, so they can be extinguished as soon as possible,” he said.

The fire broke out aboard the KMP Batumandi near Merak Besar Island as the vessel was manoeuvring towards Berth VI at Merak Port in Cilegon at around 14:52 Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

ASDP Corporate Secretary Windy Andale said the vessel had departed Bakauheni Port at around 14:52 WIB. At about 16:15 WIB, shore-based personnel spotted sparks at the rear stern of the vessel, on the upper deck used to carry small vehicles.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established. ASDP said it would support the authorities’ investigation and provide regular updates based on verified information from the scene.

Passenger and crew safety is ASDP’s top priority, the company said. It is continuing to provide the necessary support and ensure that the incident is handled swiftly and in a coordinated manner, with safety as the foremost concern.