Tourist Pinisi Ship Catches Fire off Bulukumba, Six Crew Members Survive

A tourist motor-sailing ship, the Mutiara Prasana Nusantara, was completely gutted by fire in the waters off Bontobahari District, Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi. Six crew members managed to save themselves as the flames engulfed the vessel. The head of emergency and logistics at the Bulukumba Regional Disaster Management Agency, Abdul Haris Pana, stated that the ship was travelling from Labuang Bajoe Port to Bulukumba Regency, specifically Tanah Beru Beach. The traditional pinisi tourist ship caught fire on Monday morning while it was dropping anchor and preparing to dock on the coast of Bontobahari. The blaze rapidly consumed the entire hull, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky, with the fire believed to have originated from the rear deck. Local disaster management officers at the scene were unable to do much, as the ship was positioned one mile from the shoreline, making it difficult to reach. No casualties were reported in the incident, with all six crew members successfully evacuating. The owner of the vessel, a resident of West Java, suffered losses amounting to billions of rupiah. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.