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Ferry fire off Java
An Indonesian passenger ferry, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire on Sunday while traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi, with the fire breaking out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. near the coast of Java.
“At least five people were killed and 41 others remained missing”
The vessel had 271 people on board, including 232 passengers and 39 crew members, and by Sunday afternoon rescuers and nearby vessels had evacuated 225 people and recovered five bodies.
Basarnas said the ferry was located about 19 nautical miles north of Buruan Sapudi Island after authorities determined its position by 9:45 a.m., and a nearby cargo ship was unable to approach because it was carrying a flammable load.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known and remains under investigation, while officials said a tugboat and another passing vessel began evacuating passengers shortly before 10 a.m.
Rescue setbacks and statements
Basarnas released footage showing thick black smoke billowing from the ferry as passengers wearing life jackets gathered on deck awaiting rescue, and videos circulating on social media also appeared to show some passengers jumping into the sea as flames spread across the vessel.
A rigid inflatable boat sent from a nearby rescue post later returned to shore because of rough seas and high waves, while the Indonesian navy deployed a warship to assist in the operation.
Muhammad Masyhud, a senior official at the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, said, "The safety of passengers and crew is our top priority," as authorities coordinated evacuation efforts.
The People report also said a vessel dispatched from Surabaya was expected to take about six hours to arrive at the scene, and it noted that officials estimated the rescue operation would continue while 41 people remained unaccounted for.
What’s at stake next
With at least 41 people still unaccounted for after the Mutiara Sentosa 2 fire, authorities and families awaited clearer casualty numbers as investigators probed the cause of the blaze.
“Five people have died, and 41 are missing”
The rescue operation continued after Basarnas said the ferry was almost completely engulfed in flames, and passengers were clinging to the gangway and the bow while awaiting rescue.
Basarnas also said the captain reported the fire as the vessel sailed from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi, but contact was later lost.
In the meantime, officials said four other vessels were on standby near the ferry but could not approach because of the risk posed by flammable material on the ferry, keeping the search and evacuation focused on locating those missing.
