Surabaya (Indonesia): At least five people were killed and 41 others missing after a massive fire broke out on a passenger ferry near Madura Island in Indonesia’s East Java on Sunday.
Reassuringly, 225 passengers and crew members have been rescued safely. A massive rescue operation is underway to find those missing.
According to Indonesia’s daily online English newspaper Jakarta Globe and Turkey’s state-run news agency Anadolu, the ferry named KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 left Surabaya’s Tanjung Perak port for Makassar in South Sulawesi.
During the voyage, a fire suddenly broke out on the ship. As the fire spread rapidly, many passengers jumped into the sea to save their lives.
According to local media reports, the ferry was carrying 271 passengers and crew. The rescue operation involved the Navy, search and rescue teams, and several nearby ships, who rescued passengers who had jumped into the sea.
Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, said the ferry was about 19 nautical miles from Buruan Sapudi Island when the accident occurred. Several ships have been deployed for the rescue operation, and the search for the missing continues.
Videos circulating on social media show thick, black smoke billowing from the ferry’s upper deck, and flames engulfing the vessel. Passengers wearing life jackets can be seen standing on the edge of the ferry, waiting for help.
However, the viral video could not be independently verified. Officials are currently investigating the cause of the fire, while rescue and relief operations are underway on a war footing.