Boat Explosion Near Bali's Nusa Penida: Russian Tourists Jump Overboard, Captain Burned

Russian tourists had to jump overboard after an explosion and fire broke out on a boat near Indonesia's Nusa Penida island in Bali. The tourists were unharmed, but the captain was hospitalized with burns, according to the Telegram channel Shot.

Local media reported Friday that the incident occurred during the day on October 29 in Gamat Bay. According to Shot, the Russian tourists had set out on a private snorkeling tour around Nusa Penida, departing at about 12:30 local time and passing Manta Bay and Crystal Bay.

At 13:40 local time, as the boat was leaving Gamat Bay, an explosion occurred in the stern - preliminarily, a battery blew up. Fire quickly engulfed the vessel. The vacationers and their guide jumped into the water and made it to shore.

Only an hour later did a passing boat spot them and take them aboard, Shot reported. The tourists were not hurt, while the captain was hospitalized with serious leg burns.

According to the Telegram channel, the boat had recently undergone repair and maintenance and was checked and deemed in working order before the tour. Police in Nusa Penida are now investigating the cause of the explosion.