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This was published 7 years ago
Two dead, 18 injured after explosion on 'Australian-made' Bali ferry
By Jewel Topsfield and Amilia Rosa
Jakarta: Bali police have confirmed a second woman has died after an explosion on an Australian-made ferry travelling between East Bali and the Gili islands on Thursday.
The woman, a 28-year-old Austrian, died after arriving at hospital in a critical condition, according to Blahbatuh Gianyar police chief I Nyoman Sumarajaya.
Another woman, whose nationality is yet to be confirmed, also died in the blast, which occurred about 200 metres from Padang Bai harbour in East Bali, just after 9.30am local time.
Another 18 sustained injuries, some horrific. One woman had both her feet blasted off and others had both legs broken.
A Gili Cat fast boat similar to the one on which there was an explosion on Thursday.
Karangasem police chief Sugeng Sudarso ruled out foul play saying: "This was a pure accident".
He said all 35 passengers on board the ferry were foreigners, but there were no Australians.
A spokesman for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Indonesian authorities had advised the Australian Consulate-General in Bali that their records did not suggest that any Australians were involved. "We are seeking to confirm this," he said.
Two of the 35 passengers were Dutch, two were Irish, nine were British, two were Spanish, four were Portuguese, two were German, four were Austrian, four were French and six were Italian, according to Mr Sudarso.
Karangasem police chief Sugeng Sudarso said one passenger had lost both feet in the blast.
Four Indonesian crew members, including the captain, were uninjured.
Mr Sudarso said the fuel tank on the ferry was located next to a battery, which was one possible cause of the explosion.
An unidentified woman who was severely injured during the boat crash in Bali.Credit: Bali Tribune
Padang Bai port authority officer Ig Agung Komang Arbawa said Gili Cat II's boat certificate allowed 35 passengers and four crew members.
"This is consistent with the passengers and crew today," he said.
He said the last annual safety check of the Gili Cat II was in February of this year.
"The Gili Cat II was deemed safe to sail when it departed this morning."
The Gili Cat website says the company is "Australian owned and managed and we use Australian-made boats". "You can't get any safer than that!!" it says.
The website says the company, which started operations in 2007, was the first fast boat company to offer a daily service between Bali and the Gili Islands.
"Other operators may be claim to be the safest and fastest but "copy cats" always do," it says.
"Our aluminium-hulled boat is made in Australia to international standards.
No other boat on the Bali-Gili-Lombok run can make that claim and that's guaranteed."
All Gili Cat services were suspended until further notice, according to www.gilibookings.com.
Last June, 25 passengers, including four Australians, were injured in a fire on a fast ferry travelling between Lombok and Bali.