A snorkeling boat carrying four foreign tourists exploded and caught fire Thursday off the Indonesian island of Nusa Penida near Bali, forcing the passengers and their guide to jump into the sea. Everyone survived, but the captain was badly burned on his legs.
Police in Klungkung Regency said the blast likely started in a battery component fitted to the vessel. Investigators have not yet determined the exact cause of the explosion and fire.
The explosion is thought to have come from a battery component attached to the boat,
Klungkung Regency Police
The boat, named Naomi, had been through routine repairs and maintenance before the trip, authorities said.
How the explosion unfolded
The excursion was about an hour old when trouble hit. The crew was getting ready to leave Gamat Bay, one of three planned stops along with Manta Bay and Crystal Bay, when a loud bang came from the rear of the boat.
Flames appeared soon after, and the guide and the four guests jumped overboard on instinct to escape, according to the police statement.
A passing boat picked up the passengers and crew at about 2:50 p.m., said Senior Commissioner Rina Isriana Dewi, a Bali Police spokesperson.
In this incident, all foreign national passengers and boat crew were successfully evacuated safely,
Klungkung Regency Police
Captain treated, report planned
The captain was taken to the emergency room at Gema Santhi Regional Hospital. The boat's owner stayed with him there and planned to file an official report with police on Nusa Penida afterward, officials said.
Nusa Penida sits roughly 15 miles southeast of Bali and draws snorkelers with its clear water and coastal cliffs. Bali welcomed nearly 7 million foreign tourists in 2025, almost 10% more than the year before, according to Indonesia's official statistics agency.
