At least three people were killed on Sunday and about 150 others rescued after a passenger ship, carrying around 280, caught fire in the waters of Indonesia's North Sulawesi province, China's state-run Xinhua reported. According to officials, about 130 passengers were still unaccounted for and search is on for them.
As the fire spread rapidly, many passengers jumped into the sea to save their lives.
The ship was heading from the Talaud Islands to Manado Port. The regional disaster management agency told local media that the fire started around 1:30 pm and quickly spread throughout the ship.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, Navy, Coast Guard and local fishermen immediately launched a rescue operation.
Videos surface on social media
The ship, KM Barcelona 5, caught fire while sailing in the waters off Manado, the provincial capital. Videos surfaced on social media, with one showing panicked passengers jumping into the sea as a huge blaze and plumes of thick black smoke engulf the ferry. The clip also captured the screams and desperate cries for help from the survivors.
Another video shows passengers wearing life rings and bright orange life jackets and preparing to jump from the ship. A survivor also filmed himself clinging to a baby after jumping off the burning ferry.