Snorkelling Boat Explodes Near Bali: Four Tourists and Guide Jump Into Sea to Survive, Captain Seriously Burned

Four foreign tourists and their guide jumped into the sea after their snorkelling boat exploded and caught fire in Gamat Bay off Nusa Penida, near Bali, Indonesia, according to authorities. All survived, though the boat captain suffered serious burns to his legs.

The boat, which was on a snorkelling 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. 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. Flames then appeared, so 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, chief of the public information subdivision of the Bali Police Public Relations division, said.

Police reported that everyone survived and that all foreign national passengers and boat crew were successfully evacuated safely. The boat was named Naomi, authorities 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.

The boat had undergone routine repairs and maintenance before the incident, authorities said. The exact cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation.

Officials added that 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.

An island roughly 15 miles southeast of Bali, Nusa Penida is known for its crystal-clear waters, dramatic coastal cliffs and popular snorkelling spots. Tourism in Bali has grown in recent years, with the island welcoming nearly 7 million foreign tourists in 2025, a nearly 10 percent increase from the previous year, according to Indonesia's official statistics agency.