American Marconi Wireless News - One dead, 172 rescued as second ferry in days catches fire in Indonesia

A navy vessel and other ships evacuated 172 people from the stricken passenger vessel, including two Australian tourists, search and rescue official Muhamad Hariyadi told AFP.

A 19-year-old Indonesian woman was declared dead, said Hariyadi, an official on Lombok island, where the ferry had been headed from Bali.

An AFP photographer at Lembar on Lombok's west coast saw one person brought ashore in a body bag.

Survivor Kiky Okta Pradika, 25, told reporters in Lembar he had grabbed a life jacket before jumping overboard with several other passengers.

"There were a few hours before there was any help," he said.

Hariyadi said passengers were evacuated on at least three different vessels, including a navy ship and another ferry that rushed to help in the early morning hours.

Search and rescue vessels were at the scene and a helicopter was conducting surveillance from the air.

Hariyadi earlier said there were no passengers or crew left on the blazing ferry.

There was no immediate information on people injured or missing.

Five people died last week when a ferry caught fire off Java island.

Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia -- an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that relies heavily on boat connections for daily transport and tourism.

Lax safety standards and unpredictable weather are the main reasons for the disasters.

A ferry transporting more than 70 people sank while sailing near Selayar, a small island south of Sulawesi, last month.

Four bodies were recovered, but the search operation ended with 14 others still officially missing.

D.Moore--AMWN