Java, Indonesia — At least five people were killed and 41 others remain missing after the passenger vessel Mutiara Santosa 2 caught fire in the Java Sea north of Madura Island in Indonesia’s East Java province, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said on Sunday.
A total of 225 people were rescued from the burning vessel, which was carrying 271 people, including 232 passengers and 39 crew members, on its scheduled voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar on Sulawesi Island.
According to authorities, the vessel was about 19 nautical miles (35.2 kilometers) off the coast when it was engulfed in flames. Passengers gathered on the bridge and at the bow of the ship as they waited to be evacuated while thick smoke and fire spread across the vessel.
Several nearby ships responded to the emergency and assisted in rescuing survivors before joint search and rescue teams arrived with additional vessels and personnel. The operation remains ongoing as rescuers continue searching for the missing at sea.
Officials said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined and an investigation has been launched.
The latest incident comes just weeks after another maritime tragedy in Indonesia. In June, search and rescue authorities suspended efforts to locate 14 people who remained missing after the KM Nurul Salsa passenger boat sank off South Sulawesi province. Of the 76 people on board, 58 were rescued, four were confirmed dead, and 14 were never found despite an intensive 10-day search. The vessel reportedly sank after suffering engine failure while traveling from Jampea Island to Benteng.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on sea transport, and maritime accidents remain a recurring challenge due to overcrowding, adverse weather, and safety compliance issues.
SOURCE : AGENCIES | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
