Five killed, 41 missing in Ferry fire off Indonesia
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- More than 225 passengers and crew rescued.
- Search and rescue operations continue.
A major search-and-rescue operation is underway in the Java Sea after the passenger ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire on Sunday, leaving five people dead and 41 others missing.
The vessel was carrying 271 passengers and crew members from Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya in East Java province toward Makassar in South Sulawesi when the inferno broke out off the coast of Madura Island.
The ferry's captain contacted the vessel operator to alert authorities about the blaze shortly after it started, but communications were cut off shortly thereafter.
By mid-morning, nearby cargo ships and tugboats located the burning vessel approximately 19 nautical miles north of Sapudi Island.
Video footage released by Basarnas, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the superstructure as frightened passengers in life jackets huddled near the bridge and bow before several jumped into the open sea.
Though passing ships scrambled to pick up survivors from the water, nearby cargo vessels faced difficulties coming directly alongside the ferry due to risks posed by flammable cargo.
"Based on preliminary reports from the field, passengers are waiting to be evacuated by the vessels in the vicinity of the incident site," said Muhammad Masyhud, a senior official at the Ministry of Transportation. "The safety of passengers and crew is our top priority. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant parties to ensure that the evacuation process can proceed quickly, safely, and effectively."
Search operations continue
A primary rescue vessel, SAR 249 Permadi, was dispatched from Surabaya to lead the search effort, navigating a six-hour journey to reach the site of the disaster.
Maritime accidents remain frequent across Indonesia -an archipelago encompassing more than 17,000 islands- where ferry transport is essential for trade and travel.
Safety regulators frequently cite overcrowding, lax safety enforcement, outdated infrastructure, and unpredictable weather as recurring factors in sea disasters across the country.
