- At least five people dead and dozens missing after an Indonesian ferry caught fire in waters off Java, with rescuers evacuating hundreds from the burning ship.
- The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry was traveling from Surabaya to Makassar when the fire broke out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., carrying 232 passengers and 39 crew members.
- By 9:45 a.m., authorities determined the ferry was about 19 nautical miles north of Buruan Sapudi island after communicating with a nearby cargo vessel.
- Rescue efforts began shortly before 10 a.m. with a tugboat and another passing vessel evacuating passengers.
- By Sunday evening, 227 passengers and crew were rescued and five bodies were recovered, with at least 39 people remaining unaccounted for.
- On Monday, rescuers continued searching after rescuing 231 people, but the number of missing was still unclear.
- The cause of the fire is under investigation, with initial reports suggesting it may have started from a truck on the lower vehicle deck.
- Indonesia is an archipelago where ferries are a common travel method, but disasters occur regularly due to weak safety enforcement.
- The ferry, built in 1992 in Japan, was sold to Indonesia in 2015 and serves the Surabaya-Makassar route.
At least five people have died and dozens are missing after the Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry caught fire off the coast of Java, Indonesia. The ferry, which was carrying 271 people, including 39 crew members, was traveling from Surabaya to Makassar when the fire broke out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Sunday.29
Rescue operations were launched, with nearby vessels managing to save 227 passengers and crew members by Sunday evening. However, 39 individuals remain unaccounted for, as officials rely on reports from families and survivors to determine the exact number of missing persons. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, with initial reports suggesting it may have started from a truck on the lower vehicle deck.578
Survivor Ahmad Abdul Karim recounted the chaos, stating, “Fanned by the wind, the flames spread extremely quickly. In less than 30 minutes, everyone had been instructed to move to the bow of the ferry.” Another passenger, Azhari, described the harrowing experience of jumping into the sea, saying, “There was no other option for us but to jump into the sea.” The Indonesian Navy and other vessels assisted in the rescue efforts, but rough seas complicated operations.4
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi announced that the government would review the ferry operator's performance after the National Transportation Safety Committee completes its investigation. “First we need to determine the cause based on KNKT’s findings,” he stated.
The Mutiara Sentosa 2, built in Japan in 1992, was sold to Indonesia in 2015 and serves the Surabaya-Makassar route, a vital link for domestic travelers and cargo transport.10
“Survivors said the blaze started in a truck on the lower vehicle deck and spread so quickly that everyone was instructed to move to the bow within 30 minutes. Officials said the manifest listed 271 people but many more were aboard, complicating the search.”
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