Passengers have been safely evacuated from a ro-pax ferry that caught fire off Indonesia.

The blaze broke out on the 3,600-gt Dharma Kencana II (built 1992) on Sunday morning in the Java Sea.

It was carrying 119 people, local media said.

Video footage showed black smoke pouring from the vessel, which was heading from Samarang to Pontianak.

Passengers boarded life rafts, while a tug and search and rescue vessels headed to the ferry.

They were taken to Kumai on another passengership.

The vessel was also carrying 46 vehicles, but no trucks.

It is operated by Dharma Lautan Utama.