Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Roro (roll in roll out) ship Selvia on the Jakarta-Batam route caught fire at 3.35 am (Feb 8) in Kepulauan Seribu (thousand islands) waters of Jakarta 2.5 miles south of Damar Island.

"It was true that the report that I have received the 2,439 DWT Roro boat had 225 passengers on board, including 50 drivers, caught fire at 3.35 am," head of the public communications center of the ministry of transportation Bambang S Ervan said here Tuesday.

He said the vessel left Tanjung Priok port at 2.15 am, and when on fire saving the passengers was carried out by putting out the flames by several other boats like the Pelindo II tugboat.

"The fire was put out at 5.10 am, and all the passengers had been evacuated, while the crew was still on board," Bambang said.

Bambang cannot determine whether or not there had been fatalities in the mishap. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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