A passenger ferry caught fire near Madura Island, Indonesia, on Sunday, causing a major disaster. According to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, at least five people have died in the accident, and 41 are still missing. Rescue teams are conducting a war-like search and rescue operation.
According to the Search and Rescue Agency, there were a total of 271 passengers and crew members on the ferry. Of these, 225 have been rescued safely. Officials said a search operation is underway for the missing people. The ferry was traveling from Surabaya city in East Java province to Makassar city in South Sulawesi province. The accident occurred in the sea near Madura Island during the journey. Officials said the fire broke out on Sunday morning; however, the exact cause of the fire is not yet clear. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
The National Search and Rescue Agency said that search and rescue operations are continuing to locate those missing at sea. Rescue teams are combing the sea area extensively to locate all missing people as quickly as possible. Madura Island is located off the northeastern coast of Java Island in Indonesia, and the area is considered very important for maritime traffic.