Another Indonesian ferry fire leaves one dead, 172 rescued

Earlier in the day, an official at Padangbai port in Bali, Heri Wiyanto, told local broadcaster Kompas TV that only 114 passengers and 17 crew were registered in the ferry's manifest.

The incident took place less than a month after another ferry, KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire off Madura island, killing five people. The vessel was also carrying more people than its manifest showed.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries as a key mode of transportation, with sea routes more affordable and readily available than air travel.

However, safety standards are not always rigorously enforced, resulting in a relatively high rate of accidents.

(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by John Mair and David Stanway)