KM.BARCELONA V.A

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SAR operation suspended, 673 passengers rescued, three dead and two still missing

The local search and rescue (SAR) agency in Manado, North Sulawesi, on July 28 confirmed that 673 passengers were rescued after the fire on the KM 'Barcelona V.A.', while three passengers were killed and two others remain missing. The two missing passengers have been identified as Leivi Alba, 19 years old, and Hamen Langinang, 59 years old. The deceased passengers were identified as Asna Lapai, 50 years old, Zakarias Tindigulangi and Yuliana Gumolung, 40 years old. The SAR agency has decided to end the search operation, which had been ongoing for the past seven days. The operation transitioned to passive monitoring, and SAR personnel would only be deployed upon receiving credible indications regarding the whereabouts of the missing victims. Local fishermen and tourism workers were praised for helping evacuate passengers during the early stages of the fire. Appreciation was expressed for the residents of Gangga and Bangka islands for their swift action in rescuing passengers and bringing them to safety. The Ministry of Transportation, through UPP Likupang, has prepared a preliminary incident report and was conducting further investigation. According to confirmation from the Radio Coastal Stations (SROP) of Manado and Bitung, no distress alert signal or EPIRB transmission was detected.The BASARNAS also confirmed that no distress signals were received from the vessel. The Marine Command Center (MCC) of the Ministry of Transportation has coordinated with relevant agencies and conducted tracking of the vessel’s last known position. The last AIS signal was recorded one day prior to the incident, with the vessel being located at Melonguane Port, and no further AIS tracking has been detected since. The Ministry of Transportation continued to coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure the ongoing safety, support, and investigation related to the incident. Report with photo: https://hubla.dephub.go.id/Indonesianmaritimesafetyinformation/page/news/read/25559/km-barcelona-va-terbakar-di-perairan-gangga-575-penumpang-selamat-3-meninggal-dunia-2-dalam-pencarian-km-barcelona-va-caught-fire-in-gangga-waters-575-passengers-rescued-3-confirmed-dead

Search still on for two missing - captain under investigation

The master of the KM 'Barcelona V' has been named as a suspect by the North Sulawesi police in connection with the fire that burned through the vessel. He was under investigation because of passenger manifest irregularities and possible non-compliance with emergency procedures during the fire and evacuation. The possible involvement of other crew members was investigated too. Evidence collection was ongoing to ensure this case is completed and submitted to the courts as soon as possible. Passengers had engaged in apparent self-directed evacuation into the water, without use of the vessel's liferafts. There were not enough lifejackets on board the vessel, and passengers panicked. Two people remained missing, and a search was still under way off the coast of the island of Talisei. The questions about the vessel's manifest stem from differing passenger counts. Only 280 personnel, including 16 crew members, were listed on the official manifest. The SAR agency Basarnas recorded the rescue of 575 people from the water, plus three fatalities and two missing The Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has asked the police to investigate the details of the the 'Barcelona V's manifest. 13 agencies were involved in the post-accident inquiry.

Search for two missing passengers continued

The authorities were still investigating the cause of the fire aboard the KM 'Barcelona V.A.', which had started at the stern of the ferry and was extinguished within an hour. The fire might have started in cabin 33, but there was still a need for a formal verification of this. The ferry's documents initially listed only 280 passengers and 15 crew members, but on the afternoon of July 21, the Manado SAR Agency confirmed that 575 survivors have been rescued, including a two-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater. The baby was in stable condition at a hospital. Three bodies were recovered. The three fatalities were identified as Hugu Majuntu, Daniel Lena, and Betrivia Malimbulun, who died not from burns, but after jumping into the sea during the chaotic evacuation. Malimbulun was heavily pregnant at the time. The rescuers were still searching for two passengers who were reported missing on the morning of July 21, namely Levi Aiba and Hamen Langinan. The BASARNAS was still verifying whether they were previously evacuated or not. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more victims remaining onboard or missing at sea. SAR teams, assisted by local fishermen and Indonesian Navy personnel, continued combing the area amid thick smoke that still shrouded the vessel’s interior.The KM 'Barcelona V' was on a routine voyage from Talaud to Manado when the incident occurred near Likupang Barat, approximately 50 kilometers away from Manado, on July 20 at around 1.30 p.m. LT. The Indonesian Navy’s 4th Naval Education Unit, which was conducting training exercises nearby, had swiftly deployed its personnel upon receiving distress calls. The Navy vessels KRI 'Pari-849' and KAL 'Tedung Selar' were dispatched to assist in the SAR operation. Additional aid came from the ferries KM 'Barcelona IIIA' and KM 'Venecian', which diverted to help evacuate passengers. The survivors were evacuated to two key locations:, Munte Port (Likupang Timur) and the Bakamla Serey Pier (Likupang Barat). Injured victims were taken to the Walanda Maramis Regional Hospital, the Kandouw Malalayang General Hospital, and the ODSK Regional Hospital in Manado and North Minahasa. The PT Surya Pacific Indonesia, the owner of the KM 'Barcelona V', was providing coffins for the deceased to facilitate repatriation to their families. The Port operator PT Pelindo IV on July 21 arranged to transport the coffins of the bodies to Talaud Islands district, North Sulawesi, for burial. The office coordinated the transport arrangements with the Manado Port authority, harbor master, and ship operator. The coffins were loaded on the ferry KM 'Barcelona III', which was scheduled to depart from Manado Port’s Pier 4 at 5 p.m. LT. The survivors and family members of the deceased were also secured a passage on zjr KM 'Barcelona III', along with passengers who had bought tickets prior to the ferry fire. Reports with photos: https://www.vertigopolitico.com/internacional/notas/suman-575-sobrevivientes-un-ferry-en-llamas-en-indonesia https://en.antaranews.com/news/367997/ferry-fire-coffins-of-three-victims-sent-home-for-burial