At least five individuals have lost their lives and 41 individuals remain unaccounted for following a blaze that erupted on a ferry carrying numerous passengers in the waters near Indonesia.
A significant search and rescue operation is currently in progress, with emergency crews dispatched on boats to help evacuate the ferry’s passengers and crew members.
The fire is believed to have started shortly after the Mutiara Sentosa 2 set sail from Surabaya en route to Makassar, with a total of 285 individuals on board.
The captain of the vessel reported the fire while the ship was near Madura island, traveling from Surabaya to Makassar, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
In a TikTok video, Basarnas revealed that they were informed about the fire at 8:24 am local time, with the incident occurring between 6:00 and 7:00 am local time. Passengers were seen clinging to the ship’s bridge and bow as they awaited rescue, with the vessel engulfed in flames.
Initial reports indicated that there were 285 people onboard, including 37 crew members and 248 passengers. The rescue efforts were complicated by the ferry carrying flammable cargo.
Footage captured the dramatic scene of thick black smoke billowing from the ferry’s top decks and passengers leaping into the water to escape the fire.
Several ships in the vicinity rushed to the scene to assist individuals in the water, while Basarnas dispatched a rescue vessel that was expected to arrive within six hours.
Nanang Sigit, the head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, confirmed that multiple vessels, including the TB Hasnur 26 and the British Mentor, were aiding in the evacuation of passengers who had jumped from the ferry.
This incident follows a similar ferry fire in Indonesia in July of last year, where three fatalities were reported, along with 575 people rescued and two individuals missing.
The KM Barcelona V-A ferry caught fire off the coast of North Sulawesi province during its regular journey between the ports of Melonguane and Manado, according to Navy First Adm. Franky Pasuna Sihombing.
