7 people, of which 2 children, have been killed and 4 others missing after a ferryboat with dozens on board caught fire off Sulawesi island, Indonesia, early Saturday, August 17. The ship, en-route from Southeast Sulawesi to Central Sulawesi, caught fire shortly after midnight.
According to local police spokesman Harry Goldenhard, suddenly there had been sparks in the engine and fire had "quickly spread to other parts of the boat." Police suspect the fire was due to the diesel tank explosion.
It is still unclear how many people had been aboard the ferry at the time of the accident. The passenger manifest listed fifty but locals and rescuers recovered 61 survivors while 7 people, including 2 kids aged two and four, were found dead.
A search was launched for 4 passengers reported missing.