Indonesia ferry fire: Five dead, 41 missing — 225 rescued as search op continues off Madura island
Basarnas, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, said that some passengers who jumped into the sea were picked up by a nearby ship.
An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people caught fire at sea on Sunday, resulting in five fatalities and 41 people still missing. The Mutiara Sentosa 2 was en route from Surabaya, East Java, to Makassar, South Sulawesi, with 232 passengers and 39 crew members on board. The fire occurred between 6 am and 7 am off Sumenep regency, with five bodies recovered by Sunday afternoon.
At least 41 individuals remain unaccounted for. Some passengers who jumped into the sea were rescued by a nearby ship. Four other vessels were on standby but could not approach due to flammable materials on the ferry. The ferry operator reported the incident to the search and rescue office around an hour after discovering the fire.
Authorities determined the ferry's location to be 19 nautical miles north of Buruan Sapudi Island. Rescue teams dispatched a vessel from Surabaya, but rough seas and high waves forced a rigid inflatable boat to return to shore. The Indonesian Navy deployed a warship to assist. Footage showed thick black smoke billowing from the burning ferry, with passengers huddled on the deck and upper sections awaiting rescue. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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