Ferry Catches Fire Near Merak Port, Passengers Evacuated

The passenger motor vessel KMP Batumandi caught fire in waters near Merak Port, Cilegon, Banten. Emergency personnel are evacuating the passengers.

Footage circulating on Tuesday (20 October 2026) showed thick black smoke rising from the roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel. The ship was still in waters near Merak Port when the fire broke out.

Other footage showed personnel evacuating passengers in small boats and taking them to a safer location.

Banten Police public relations chief Commissioner Maruli Hutapea said the fire broke out at around 4 pm local time on Tuesday (20 October). It occurred in the Sunda Strait, behind Merak Kecil Island, in Mekarsari subdistrict, Pulomerak district, Cilegon.

“A passenger vessel, KMP Batumandi, caught fire in the waters of the Sunda Strait, behind Merak Kecil Island in Mekarsari subdistrict, Pulomerak district, Cilegon,” Maruli said.

Maruli said the evacuation was still under way. The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) team and the Banten Police Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) had been deployed to respond to the incident.

“BPBD and Banten Police Ditpolairud teams are currently carrying out the evacuation. Information on the number of casualties and the cause of the fire will be reported later,” he said.

As of the latest update, there was no information about casualties or the cause of the fire.