Sumenep, en.SERU.co.id — A passenger ferry carrying more than 270 people caught fire in waters off Madura Island early Sunday, killing at least five and leaving 41 others unaccounted for, Indonesian search and rescue officials said.
The passenger ferry Mutiara Sentosa 2 was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi when the blaze broke out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time near the northern tip of Madura, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
The vessel, operated by PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, was carrying 232 passengers and 39 crew members, along with 181 vehicles, mostly trucks.
Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, said the ship’s captain reported the fire to the operator before communication was lost.
“After that, the captain could no longer be reached,” he said.
By mid-morning, the ferry was almost completely engulfed in flames. Passengers gathered on the bridge and bow, many wearing life jackets. Some jumped into the sea and were picked up by nearby vessels.
Rescue efforts involved several ships already in the area, including the tugboat TB Hasnur 26 and cargo vessels Meratus Project 3 and Meratus Pematang Siantar. Basarnas also dispatched the search-and-rescue ship KN SAR 249 Permadi from Surabaya, a journey expected to take about six hours.
By Sunday afternoon, officials reported that 225 people had been rescued and five bodies recovered. Forty-one people remained missing. The figures were still being updated as more survivors were brought ashore.
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Muhammad Masyhud, director general of sea transportation at the Ministry of Transportation, said passenger and crew safety was the top priority. “We are continuously coordinating with all relevant parties to ensure the evacuation process can proceed quickly, safely and effectively,” he said in a statement.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. East Java police have sent a team to the scene to begin an investigation. Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said the government would launch a thorough inquiry, including involvement by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).
“We will launch an investigation into the cause of the incident. Based on the reports we have received, the ship was seaworthy and the passenger manifest was in order,” Yudhoyono said.
Search and rescue operations continued into the evening.
