Four foreign tourists and their guide jumped into the sea off Nusa Penida, near Bali, Indonesia, on Thursday after the snorkeling boat they were riding in exploded and caught fire, according to Klungkung Regency Police.
The vessel was on a planned excursion with stops at Manta Bay, Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay when the fire broke out roughly an hour into the trip, as the boat prepared to leave Gamat Bay. Police said “a loud explosion was heard from the end of the boat,” which investigators believe came from a battery component attached to the vessel.
“The flames then appeared so that the guide and four foreign guests spontaneously jumped into the sea to save themselves,” police said in a statement.
A passing boat rescued all the passengers and crew members around 2:50 p.m., according to Senior Commissioner Rina Isriana Dewi, chief of the public information subdivision of the Bali Police Public Relations division.
Everyone involved survived, police said, though the boat’s captain suffered serious burns to his legs. He was taken to the emergency room at Gema Santhi Regional Hospital for treatment, according to ANTARA News, Indonesia’s official national news agency.
“In this incident, all foreign national passengers and boat crew were successfully evacuated safely,” the translated police statement said.
The boat, named Naomi, had undergone routine repairs and maintenance before the incident, authorities said. The exact cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation. Officials said the boat’s owner plans to file an official report at Nusa Penida Police Headquarters once he finishes accompanying the captain, who remains under treatment.
Nusa Penida sits roughly 15 miles southeast of Bali and is known for its clear waters, coastal cliffs and popular snorkeling sites. Tourism to Bali has been climbing in recent years, with the island drawing nearly 7 million foreign visitors in 2025, an increase of almost 10% over the prior year, according to Indonesia’s official statistics agency.
The incident adds to a string of recent boating fires involving travelers. Last year, a couple vacationing in England jumped into the River Thames to rescue six people, including four children, after a boat exploded and caught fire. Earlier this year, a crew member died and four passengers were hospitalized after a fire broke out aboard a cruise ship carrying 271 passengers and 338 crew members near Singapore.
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