UPDATE - Indonesia: 2 dead, 20 missing in tourist boat fire

UPDATES TO ADD BACKGROUND

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - At least two people have been confirmed dead after a fire broke out on a large boat carrying tourists to islands north of the Indonesian capital, while 20 others remain missing and around 150 have been rescued.

Jakarta Water Police Director Hero Hendrianto Bachtiar said Sunday, “around 152 people have been evacuated" -- two of them confirmed dead.

He was also quoted by detik.com as saying, “20 passengers are missing."

National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Anadolu Agency that the Zahro Express tourist ship departed from Jakarta in the morning en route to Tidung Island in Thousand Islands Regency.

The head of North Jakarta's fire department, Satriadi Gunawan, said his officers received a report on the incident at 08.46 a.m. (0146GMT) and immediately dispatched teams to the site.

"We have deployed five fire boats to extinguish the fire," he was quoted by detik.com as saying.

Gunawan refused to comment on the possible cause of the fire.

The flames engulfing the ship were reportedly later extinguished and the vessel brought to the Muara Angke port in Jakarta.

Three crew members were taken to a local police station for questioning.

Indonesia's waterways serve as a widespread form of transportation in some areas of the archipelago, where accidents resulting from overcrowded boats and lax safety standards are common.