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Breaking: Tragedy at Sea as KM Barcelona VA Ferry Catched Fire Off Talise Island, Hundreds Rescued, Several Dead
By Favour Bibaikefie
A terrible maritime disasters unfolded earlier today, Sunday, July 20, 2025, when the KM Barcelona VA, a passenger ferry travelling across the North Sulawesi coast of Indonesia, caught fire at sea, forcing over 280 passengers and crew to leap into the open waters near Talise Island in a desperate bid to survive.
The fire reportedly broke out in the late morning hours, around 11:00 a.m. local time, as the ferry sailed en route from the Port of Talaud Islands to Manado, passing close to Talise Islan, a small community located in the Sangihe Islands region of North Sulawesi Province.
Though the exact cause of the fire is still under official investigation by Indonesian maritime authorities, eyewitness accounts suggest the fire originated from the engine room and quickly spread through the upper decks of the vessel, engulfing parts of the ship in thick, black smoke. No explodes were heard, but flames moved swiftly, overwhelming the onboard fire safety systems.
See attached video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1WNyUhC27E/
Several passengers reported hearing alarms and seeing smoke rise from below deck shortly before the crew instructed them to wear life jackets and abandon ship.
The KM Barcelona VA is a traditional Indonesian wooden-hull passenger vessel designed to carry passengers and light cargo across island routes. The ship was licensed to carry 300 passengers, and according to the Manado Ports Authority, there were 284 people on board, including passengers, crew, and local traders.
Built to operate in the calm coastal waters of the archipelago, KM Barcelona VA was a key transport link for many remote island communities.
Immediately after the distress calls were received, a coordinated rescue operation was launched by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian Navy, and local fishing vessels. Within hours, rescue boats from KM Barcelona III, KM Cantika Lestari 9F, and KM Venecian reached the scene.
Out of the 284 persons on board, 278 were successfully rescued from the sea, some clinging to life jackets, barrels, or wreckage. Survivors were taken to Bitung and Manado ports, where emergency medical teams were stationed.
Despite the swift response, at least five fatalities were confirmed as of Sunday night. Among the dead were two women, including a pregnant woman, and a child, according to the Indonesian Red Cross. Their identities were being withheld pending family notification.
Some survivors suffered from hypothermia, shock, and minor injuries. All were being treated at hospitals in Manado.
A spokesperson for Basarnas, Abdul Malik, confirmed:
“We have received 278 people so far. Unfortunately, five people were found deceased. Search operations will continue to ensure no one is left behind.”
The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has suspended operations of similar ferry liners pending safety audits and has vowed to carry out a full investigation.
Footages taken by survivors went viral on social media, showing panicked passengers jumping overboard as fire and smoke engulfed the rear deck. In one emotional clip, a young father was seen clutching his child while swimming to safety, guided by the lights os a vessel.
One survivor, Abdul Rahmad Agu, livestreamed his escape:
“We had no chance but to jump. The smoke was thick, and people were crying and screaming. Thank God the rescue team arrived quickly.”
Maritime analysts point to long-standing concerns about safety compliance and aging vessels in Indonesia’s inter-island transport system. Ferry disasters remain common due to overloading, poor maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
In 2018, more than 160 people died when ferry sank in Lake Toba. While recent reforms have improved oversight, many vessels, especially wooden-hull ferries like KM Barcelona VA, remain vulnerable to and structural failure.
The Indonesian government has ordered a comprehensive inspection of all operating ferries in the region and has promised support for the families of the deceased.
As the nation mourns the lives lost in this latest maritime tragedy, survivors, families, and citizens across Indonesia are once again calling for urgent reforms to protect those who rely on the seas for their livelihood and connection to the rest of the country.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace.
Stay with IduwiniVoice for further updates as investigations unfold.
Breaking
STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE: NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR AMUPITAN AS INEC CHAIRMAN
The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.
President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.
Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.
In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening.
Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau. He is also an alumnus of the university.
He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
Amupitan was born on April 25, 1967.
After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.
He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.
Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).
Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).
Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles(2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013) and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
He is married and has four children.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
October 9, 2025
By: Divine Perezide
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed media reports suggesting that it has suspended the Delineation of Electoral Wards in Warri Federal Constituency, covering Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas.
The rebuttal followed a report by the Punch Newspaper claiming that an INEC official had hinted at a suspension in connection with the Supreme Court judgement of December 2, 2022. INEC clarified such reports were misleading.
In a statement issued on Sunday, INEC emphasized “the commission has not taken any decision regarding the delineation exercise in the Warri Federal Constituency. Reports alleging suspension are inaccurate and do not reflect the position of INEC.
The Commission noted that it remains committed to upholding the Supreme Court judgment but insisted that due process and broad consultation must guide every step of the delineation process.
A senior Electoral Officer, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, stressed that INEC’s mandate cannot be subjected to misrepresentation. “We must be clear: no suspension has been declared. What we have is an ongoing consultation process to ensure compliance with legal and constitutional provisions,” he stated.
The Supreme Court ruling of December 2022 had directed INEC to ensure fair representation of all ethnic nationalities within the Warri Federal Constituency by reviewing and delineation wards accordingly.
INEC assured stakeholders, particularly in Delta State, that it would communicate its position at the appropriate time, adding that it remains committed to transparent and credible Electoral Reforms.
(c) IduwiniVoice
By: Favour Bibaikefie
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has announced the withdrawal of services at Dangote Refinery and all Oil Installations following what it described as the unlawful dismissal of more than 80 of its members.
In a statement released by the union, the PENGASSAN condemned whT it termed “Dangote Refinery unilateral action to sack ova 800 members of our association for joining our union,” BBC Pidgin reported.
The association further described the move as “an affront to all workers for Nigeria and deliberate violation of Nigeria labour laws, di Constitution, and ILO convention.”
The mass sack has drawn significant concerns across labour circles, with PENGASSAN warning that such practices could set a dangerous precedent for the treatment of workers in the country’s oil and gas sector.
Reacting to the development, Dangote Refinery said it had taken necessary steps within the boundaries of law and industrial practice. While the company the company did not provide a detailed explanation for the dismissal, it insisted its actions were guided by operational realities.
Labour watchers say the dispute could escalate into a major confrontation unless urgent mediation is initiated by the federal government via the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The refinery, commissioned to be a game-changer in Nigeria’s energy sector, now faces its first major labour crisis since operations began.