Passengers Heard Explosions Before KMP Batumandi Caught Fire off Merak

Survivors aboard the KMP Batumandi, which caught fire at sea off Merak, heard two explosions before the vessel was engulfed in flames.

Passenger Edi said that before smoke filled the ship’s interior, he heard an explosion coming from the engine room. He said he heard it twice before the crew issued an emergency announcement.

“First, before it happened, there was a ‘teng’ explosion in the engine on the left. Then a little smoke came out. When I saw the small amount of smoke, I said, ‘This could get serious. Please get the life jackets ready.’ But everyone just stayed quiet,” Edi said at Merak Port on Tuesday (20 October 2025).

Passengers only began to panic after the second explosion. Edi said the ship’s lights went out shortly afterwards.

“The second one was a ‘dum’ from the engine, and then it was dark. After it went dark, everyone panicked. Luckily, I used a towel to cover my nose, then shouted, ‘Please lower the lifeboats.’ They weren’t lowered until all the passengers were gone; not a single lifeboat came down,” he said.

When the siren sounded, crew members told passengers to put on life jackets. Panic then spread, and some passengers jumped into the sea.

“They jumped. But they were rescued by fishermen. Merak fishermen,” he said.