Boat explodes during tourist outing as fire sends captain, others scrambling into water

Four foreign tourists and their guide were forced to jump into the water after their snorkeling boat exploded and caught fire near Bali, Indonesia, according to authorities.

The boat, which was on a snorkeling excursion, exploded and caught fire on Thursday in the waters of Gamat Bay off Nusa Penida, according to a statement from the Klungkung Regency Police, a local police agency in Bali.

The boat had planned stops at Manta Bay, Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay.

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About an hour into the excursion, the boat was preparing to leave Gamat Bay when "a loud explosion was heard from the end of the boat," police said.

"The explosion is thought to have come from a battery component attached to the boat," the statement said.

"The flames then appeared so that the guide and four foreign guests spontaneously jumped into the sea to save themselves."

Around 2:50 p.m., a passing boat rescued the passengers and crew members, Senior Commissioner Rina Isriana Dewi, said the chief of the public information subdivision of the Bali Police Public Relations division. 

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Police reported that everyone survived, though the boat captain suffered serious burns to his legs.

"In this incident, all foreign national passengers and boat crew were successfully evacuated safely," the translated statement said.

The captain was later taken to the emergency room at Gema Santhi Regional Hospital for treatment, according to ANTARA News, the official national news agency of Indonesia.

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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.

"The boat owner plans to go to the Nusa Penida Police Headquarters to make an official report after finishing accompanying the boat captain who is undergoing treatment at Gema Santhi Regional Hospital," officials added.

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An island roughly 15 miles southeast of Bali, Nusa Penida is known for its crystal-clear waters, coastal cliffs and popular snorkeling spots.

Tourism in Bali has grown in recent years, with the island welcoming nearly 7 million foreign tourists in 2025, a nearly 10% increase from the previous year, according to Indonesia's official statistics agency.

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Other recent boating fires and explosions have also put travelers in danger.

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.