A major maritime accident occurred near the Indonesian island of Madura on Sunday morning. A passenger ferry traveling from Surabaya to Sulawesi suddenly caught fire.
New Delhi: A major maritime accident occurred Sunday morning near Madura Island, Indonesia. A passenger ferry traveling from Surabaya to Sulawesi suddenly caught fire. Five people have been confirmed dead so far, while 41 are still missing. More than 250 passengers and crew members were aboard the ferry.
How did the accident happen?
The KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 departed from Surabaya’s Tanjung Perak port for Makassar on Sulawesi island. Just hours after the voyage began, the captain reported a fire to the control room. Shortly after, contact with the ferry was completely lost.
According to the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, the ferry was found about 19 nautical miles north of Sapudi Island. By the time rescuers arrived, the ship was almost completely engulfed in flames. Passengers had gathered on the bridge and bow of the ship, waiting for help.
Rescue work continues
Nearby ships rushed to help as soon as the fire was reported. Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, said, “The TB Hasanur 26 and the British Mentor are rescuing passengers who jumped into the sea from the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2. Currently, four ships are on the scene.”
Another rescue vessel, the SAR 249 Permadi, has also been dispatched to the scene, but it will take approximately six hours to arrive. Search operations have been intensified to locate the missing people.
Scary scenes in viral video
Several videos of the ferry are circulating on social media. One shows thick black smoke billowing from the upper deck. Another clip shows passengers wearing life jackets huddled on one side of the ship. Some even show people jumping into the sea in panic.
These images clearly show the horror of the accident. Passengers were in panic, and many had no choice but to jump to safety.
Investigation begins
Officials have said the cause of the fire is under investigation. Questions are being raised about how the fire started on the ferry, whether safety equipment was working, and whether emergency protocols were followed.
Ferry accidents have occurred in Indonesia before, but the large number of passengers and the fire in the open sea make this incident even more serious. Rescue teams are currently focused on finding the 41 missing people. Weather and sea conditions are hampering the search operation.