LANGKAWI: More than 50 passengers of a Kuala Perlis-bound ferry were rescued when the vessel caught fire minutes after it departed from the Kuah Terminal here Monday (Feb 25).

The blaze at the Dragon Star ferry, carrying 52 people, occurred three kilometres off Kuah.

It is understood that all the passengers were rescued by nearby vessels.

The Kedah Fire and Rescue Department operation centre were told of the ferry fire at 2.48pm and a rescue team was despatched to the scene at 2.56pm.

The operation was headed by Deputy Fire Superintendent Johari Mohd Lazim. It involved personnel from the Persiaran Putra and Langkawi Fire and Rescue stations.

According to the Fire and Rescue Department, a passenger first spotted the blaze and raised the alarm.

As the blaze grew, many passengers plunged into the sea to escape.

The authorities despatched two rescue boats and a Kevlar boat to the scene, aided by assets from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and nearby vessels, to contain the fire.

Firemen boarded the ferry to put out the fire and to ensure no passengers were trapped.