Five people died and 41 others are still missing in Indonesia after a fire broke out on a ferry with over 200 passengers in the middle of the sea in East Java province, about 700 kilometers east of Jakarta, authorities from the archipelago reported.
The stricken vessel, the Mutiara Sentosa 2, was heading towards the city of Makassar when it was engulfed in flames under circumstances that are still under official investigation. The incident began early in the morning, around 6:00 to 7:00 hours, in waters near the regency of Sumenep. At the time of the disaster, the ferry was carrying a total of 271 people, of which 232 were passengers and 39 were crew members.
According to reports from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the fire engulfed the 160-meter-long vessel almost completely. Images captured during the emergency showed scenes of genuine terror, with passengers grouped at the bow and the bridge while a dense black smoke spread throughout the ship.
Faced with the advance of the orange flames, some occupants, equipped with life jackets, chose to jump directly into the sea to escape the extreme heat. Initial rescue efforts were supported by civilian vessels, such as a tugboat and other ships sailing in the area, which managed to evacuate hundreds of people before 10:00 in the morning. So far, authorities have confirmed the rescue of 225 people alive and the recovery of five bodies.
However, the official operation has faced adverse weather conditions that have hindered the arrival of aid; in fact, a rigid inflatable boat was sent to the area from the Sumenep rescue post, but later returned to the coast due to rough seas and strong waves. The Indonesian Navy has also had to deploy a warship to assist in the search for the 41 people who remain missing.
Such deadly incidents are not isolated in the region, where maritime transport is vital for connectivity between territories. Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands where ferries are a common means of transportation. Disasters occur regularly, often attributed to weak enforcement of safety regulations. The ferry route between Surabaya and Makassar is a journey of approximately 40 hours, crucial for the transportation of goods and national travelers between Java and Sulawesi.