MANADO – On Sunday, a passenger ferry with several hundred people on board caught fire at sea near Sulawesi island in Indonesia, resulting in at least five fatalities, according to officials. Rescue operations are in progress, and over 280 individuals have been saved.

The ferry, KM Barcelona 5, was traveling to Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi province, from Talaud, an island district in the province, when it ignited in waters near Talise, explained Vice Adm. Denih Hendrata, head of the Indonesian Fleet Command.

Three navy ships have been dispatched, and thus far, 284 passengers and crew have been evacuated. The operation was aided by local fishermen, who rescued some survivors found wearing life jackets as they drifted toward nearby islands amidst turbulent seas.

Rescuers retrieved five bodies, including a pregnant woman.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, and no exact figures of passengers and crew members onboard the ferry.

“We are still focusing on evacuation efforts,” Hendrata said, adding that the cause of the fire was being investigated.

Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea. Orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.

Residents of Mentawai Islands found several people stranded on July 14 after a speedboat carrying 18 people capsized during a storm the day before, authorities said. All were in good condition.

A ferry sank near Indonesia’s resort island of Bali early this month, leaving at least 19 dead and 16 others missing. A two-week search operation involved more than 1,000 rescuers, three navy ships, 15 boats, a helicopter and divers.