Five Dead, 41 Missing After Indonesian Ferry Catches Fire
At least five people have died and 41 remain missing after a passenger ferry caught fire off Indonesia’s Madura Island on Sunday, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation.
The Mutiara Sentosa 2, carrying 271 people — 232 passengers and 39 crew members — was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi when the fire broke out between 6am and 7am local time, according to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
The ferry was operating in waters near the northern tip of Madura Island when the blaze was reported. Contact with the vessel was later lost after the captain alerted authorities about the fire.
Thick black smoke and flames spread across the ferry, forcing passengers to gather on the bridge and bow while nearby vessels rushed to assist. Some passengers were seen jumping into the sea to escape the burning vessel.
By Sunday afternoon, rescue teams and nearby vessels had managed to save 225 people, while five bodies were recovered. Authorities said 41 people remained unaccounted for.
A tugboat and other vessels helped evacuate passengers from the stricken ferry. The Indonesian Navy also deployed a warship to support the rescue operation.
Efforts to send additional rescue teams were complicated by rough seas and high waves, with one rescue boat forced to return to shore.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation, authorities said.
The ferry, measuring around 160 metres long and 25 metres wide, operates the Surabaya-Makassar route, a journey that typically takes around 40 hours.
Indonesia relies heavily on ferries to connect its thousands of islands, making maritime safety a major concern across the country's extensive domestic transport
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