A packed ferry carrying more than 280 passengers has become a floating inferno off the coast of Indonesia.

Flames engulfed the KM Barcelona VA vessel travelling towards the city of Manado within minutes, forcing dozens of people to jump into the sea.

Footage shows passengers – most wearing life-jackets, but some without – hurling themselves into the water to save their lives.

Filmed by a woman, who had swam about 10 to15 metres away from the inferno, it reveals the desperation of those on board.

Screams and cries for help can be heard in the background as the fire is seen ripping through the entire vessel and thick, black smoke billows into the sky.

Dozens of passengers are shown to be in the water, trying to gain as much distance as possible between the fire and themselves.

Several passing fishing boats from the nearby Talise Island rescued some of the survivors from the water.

Abdul Rahman, who recorded a video during the chaos, said: ‘Almost everyone panicked, the smoke was thick from the back of the boat, then the fishermen started to transport children to their boats first.’ 

IDN Times reported that one person has died in the incident, but did not specify if they drowned or were killed in the inferno.

Three vessels have been dispatched to scene, the Manado Harbormaster and Port Authority Office (KSOP) confirmed.

‘There are KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian, and Km Cantika Lestari 9F,’ an officer said.

Rescue operations are ongoing as emergency teams race against time to account for all passengers.

The ferry was en route from the Talaud Islands to Manado when it caught fire off the coast of North Sulawesi earlier today at around 1.30pm local time.

The cause of the fire remains unknown so far.

Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.

Molly-Mae Hague’s sister Zoe Rae left Bali after just 48 hours to jet off to Dubai instead. And people have a lot to say about it.

He was crushed to death and found inside the belly of the beast.

Rescuers are scouring the waters off the Indonesian island for 30 passengers after the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya went under.

Dressed in a Polri uniform and wearing black berets robots were paraded through the streets of Jakarta

With the US joining Israel in strikes on Iran, we take a look at where you might want to head if the conflict escalates.

Juliana Marins slipped while hiking.

With the US joining Israel in strikes on Iran, we take a look at where you might want to head if the conflict escalates.

Lisa Stocker, 39, is one of three tourists accused of trying to bring in nearly £300,000 worth of cocaine sealed inside sachets of Angel Delight.

Jon Collyer, 38 and Lisa Stocker, 39 were arrested in Bali, Indonesia on suspicion of importing 17 packages of cocaine (Picture: EPA)

The family of three Britons jailed in Indonesia for alleged drug smuggling have said they are worried for…

Jonathan Christopher Collyer, 28, and Lisa Ellen Stocker, 29, were detained at Denpasar International Airport after customs officers flagged suspicious items in their luggage.

‘I really, really regret everything that has happened.’

The rare fossil find has revealed how the prehistoric humans survived in the area.

‘I never want to go back unless there’s a very good reason to drag me there.’

A boy, 13, was injured at a theme park after he was thrown out of his seat while riding a 360° swing.

The teen, with the initials RDP,went on the ride at the Jawa Timur Park 1 in Batla, Indonesia, with three friends earlier this month.

Yet as the Frisbee began to twirl through the air, RDP’s safety harness unbuckled, leaving him clinging to his chair.

The ride swung as it completed a 360° turn and slowed down at the top, with the teen dangling some two metres off the ground.

Onlookers and ride-goers then screamed as they watched the teenager fall, footage showed.

The 360 Pendulum was immediately halted at about 4pm on April 8.

RDP suffered two fractures to his right hand and one to his right leg.

The boy attended Madrasah Tsanawiyah secondary school in Malang and dreams of becoming a pilot.

‘Our child has a dream that has been prepared carefully since childhood, his dream is to be an Air Force (AU) pilot,’ his mother, Ardika Novita, told the press on Friday.

RDP’s father, Wasis Ridho Atmadei, said his son has long been inspired by his nephew, who pilots a Sukhoi jet at the Iswahjudi air force base.

‘When he was still a cadet wearing a uniform, he looked dashing,’ he said, ‘finally my child was motivated.’

But RDP’s family worries that the boy may never realise his dreams if his injury – which has left him in a cast – impacts his chances of getting into a top boarding school.

Police said that park operators had conducted all safety checks before the ride started, and they worked correctly.

The seat belt suddenly unfastened due to a malfunction, the police found.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.