Five Dead, 41 Missing After Indonesian Ferry Fire
An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people caught fire while sailing off Madura island, leaving five people dead and 41 missing, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency.
Five people have been confirmed dead and 41 others are missing after a passenger ferry caught fire while at sea in Indonesia, according to the country’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
The vessel, identified as KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, was carrying 271 people when a fire broke out during its journey from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city in East Java, to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The captain reported the blaze off Madura island, Basarnas said.
Footage aired by Indonesian news outlet iNews showed a large group of passengers wearing life jackets on what appeared to be a lifeboat. Additional video clips showed people climbing down from the ferry as flames and heavy smoke rose from the upper part of the vessel.
In a statement on TikTok, Basarnas said the Surabaya search and rescue office received information about the fire at 08:24 local time (02:24 GMT). The shipping company reported that the fire is believed to have started between 06:00 and 07:00 local time (00:00–01:00 GMT).
Later, Basarnas said the ferry was “almost entirely engulfed in flames” and that passengers had gathered on the ship’s bridge and bow while waiting to be rescued.
