JAKARTA, Indonesia – At least five people were killed and 41 others remain missing after an Indonesian passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura Island on Sunday, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation involving the Indonesian Navy, coast guard, and nearby commercial vessels, authorities said.
The ferry, Mutiara Sentosa 2, was carrying 271 people, including 232 passengers and 39 crew members, on a scheduled voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi when the blaze erupted at around 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. local time near Madura Island. Thick black smoke quickly engulfed the vessel, forcing many passengers wearing life jackets to jump into the sea to escape the flames.
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said 225 people had been rescued by Sunday afternoon, while emergency teams continued searching for those still unaccounted for. Rescue operations were complicated by rough sea conditions and limited visibility, officials said.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Investigators are expected to inspect the vessel once it is secured, while maritime officials continue interviewing survivors and crew members to establish how the blaze started.
Videos circulating on social media showed flames and dense smoke consuming much of the ferry as frightened passengers crowded on the deck before abandoning the ship. Nearby tugboats, commercial vessels, and Indonesian Navy ships joined the rescue effort, pulling survivors from the water and transporting them to safety.
The latest tragedy has once again drawn attention to maritime safety in Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where ferries remain a vital means of transportation for millions of people. The country has experienced numerous deadly maritime accidents over the years, often linked to overcrowding, adverse weather, aging vessels, and inadequate enforcement of safety regulations.
Indonesian authorities said search and rescue operations would continue until all missing passengers and crew members are accounted for. Officials also pledged a full investigation into the incident to determine whether negligence or technical failures contributed to the fire.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
