- Ferry catches fire off the coast of Indonesia, resulting in at least five dead and 41 missing.
- The ferry operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, alerted rescuers about an hour after the fire broke out after the captain reported the vessel ablaze near the northern tip of Madura Island; contact with the ferry was later lost.
- Authorities determined the ferry’s location about 19 nautical miles north of Buruan Sapudi Island after establishing communication with a nearby cargo vessel, but that ship could not approach because it was carrying flammable cargo.
- A search and rescue operation was continuing; a rescue vessel dispatched from Surabaya was expected to take about six hours to reach the scene, while a rigid inflatable boat returned to shore because of rough seas and high waves and the Indonesian navy deployed a warship to assist.
- Basarnas footage showed thick black smoke billowing from the ferry as passengers in life jackets awaited rescue; social media videos appeared to show frightened passengers on upper decks, with some jumping into the sea as flames spread.
The Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire between 6am and 7am local time on Sunday while traveling from Surabaya to Makassar, carrying 271 people—232 passengers and 39 crew members.678
According to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), at least five people have died and 41 are missing after the incident. The ferry operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, alerted rescuers about an hour after the fire broke out, after receiving a report from the captain that the vessel was ablaze near the northern tip of Madura Island.23
By Sunday afternoon, several nearby vessels managed to rescue 225 passengers and crew and recovered five bodies. However, 41 people remained unaccounted for as a search and rescue operation continued, with authorities working to locate those still missing.
A rescue vessel was dispatched from Surabaya, expected to take about six hours to reach the scene. Meanwhile, a rigid inflatable boat sent from a nearby rescue post returned to shore due to rough seas and high waves, while the Indonesian navy deployed a warship to assist in the operation.
Footage released by Basarnas showed thick black smoke billowing from the ferry as passengers wearing life jackets gathered on deck awaiting rescue. Videos on social media depicted frightened passengers clustered on the upper decks, with some jumping into the sea as flames spread across the vessel. The cause of the fire remains unknown, highlighting Indonesia's ongoing issues with maritime safety, exacerbated by lax enforcement of regulations and unpredictable weather conditions.910
“Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said 271 people were aboard when the fire broke out — 232 passengers and 39 crew. A rescue vessel from Surabaya was expected to take six hours to reach the ferry, while the Indonesian navy deployed a warship and a rigid inflatable boat turned back due to rough seas.”
