Indonesian police are blaming a short circuit in a motor for the fire that ripped though a ferry in Jakarta that has left at least 23 people dead.
Rescuers search the charred passenger boat which caught fire off the coast of Jakarta, killing 23 people. Photo: AFP
The Zahro Express ferry caught fire about 1 nautical mile off Jakarta, and at least 100 people were said to have jumped into the sea to escape the fire though that number was questioned by survivors.
Police said the cause of the fire, which killed 23 people and injured dozens, was thought to be a short circuit on a power generator.
There were 17 people were still missing, CNN reported.
The vessel was thought to be carrying up to 300 people to a holiday island north of the city, although records were not clear on how many people had been on board.
Authorities were searching the waters for any of the missing people.
Survivor Ardi, who was on the boat with his son, was being treated in a Jakarta hospital.
"Thick smoke suddenly emerged, blanketing the cabin," he said.
"All passengers panicked and ran up to the deck to throw floats into the water. In a split second, the fire becomes bigger coming from where fuel is stored."
The boat was towed back to port, where victims in body bags were being removed from the badly charred ship.
Out of more than 200 people rescued, 32 were being treated at hospitals in Jakarta.
- Reuters / ABC