"We confirmed that all victims have been evacuated," Commander of the Indonesian Navy's Fleet Command Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata told ANTARA on Sunday.
In a video depicting the inferno obtained by ANTARA, the fire that engulfed the ship has been extinguished, leaving the burned remains of the ship's frame.
Meanwhile, according to VIII/Manado Naval Base Commander Commodore May Franky Pasuna Sihombing, 280 passengers were evacuated by officers. However, three of the passengers passed away.
Related news: KM III Barcelona catches fire in North Sulawesi waters, one dies
"From the 280 passengers so far, we record three who died not due to the fire but due to illness," Sihombing said.
The rescue team is still inspecting the burned ship to ensure that no more passengers are aboard, he added.
The KM III Barcelona caught fire near Talise Island in North Minahasa District, while en route from a port in Talaud Islands District to Manado City, the provincial capital, on Sunday afternoon.
"Reports indicate that the ship caught fire between 12 noon and 1 p.m. local time," Manado Search and Rescue Office's public relations official Nuriadin Gumeleng said, noting that one deceased victim, a pregnant woman, had already been brought ashore.
A video recorded by a passenger and circulated on social media showed flames engulfing the upper deck of the vessel, causing panic and prompting some passengers to jump overboard.
Besides the Indonesian Navy, the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), and a local search and rescue agency also deployed their ships for the rescue operation.
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Translator: Walda Marison, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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