5 Dead, 41 Missing After Ferry Carrying 271 Catches Fire Off Indonesia’s Madura Island

At least five people have died and 41 remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying 271 people caught fire at sea off Indonesia’s Madura Island on Sunday morning, authorities said.

The vessel, identified in some reports as the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, was en route from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, East Java, to Makassar in South Sulawesi when the captain reported a fire several hours into the voyage. Communication with the ship was lost shortly afterward.

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said 225 people had been rescued by Sunday afternoon. A search-and-rescue operation was continuing. The ferry was located about 19 nautical miles north of Sapudi Island and was reported to be almost completely engulfed in flames, with some passengers gathered on the bridge and bow or jumping into the water while wearing life jackets.

Several nearby vessels, including TB Hasnur 26 and the British Mentor, assisted in the evacuation. A dedicated rescue vessel was also dispatched but faced a lengthy travel time to the scene. Videos circulating online showed thick black smoke rising from the upper decks as flames spread.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Madura Island lies off the northeastern coast of Java. Officials said the rescue effort remained ongoing as they worked to locate the missing.