Fire on Indonesian ferry kills five, with 41 missing

DPASun, August 2, 2026 at 2:03 PM UTC1 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

• Five people were killed and 41 were missing after a ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura Island in Indonesia, with 225 individuals rescued by Sunday evening.
• The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry, carrying 271 people, was en route from Surabaya to Makassar when the fire broke out in the Java Sea, prompting passengers to jump into the sea as rescue efforts were hindered by rough sea conditions.
• The cause of the fire on the ferry has not yet been determined, and search operations are ongoing to locate those still unaccounted for, with an investigation expected once emergency operations are completed.

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At least five people were killed and 41 others were missing after the passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura Island in Indonesia on Sunday, authorities said.

A total of 225 people had been rescued by Sunday evening, according to Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry was carrying 271 people, including 232 passengers and 39 crew members.

The vessel was sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi when the fire broke out in the Java Sea. The captain informed the ferry operator of the incident before contact with the vessel was lost, local media reported.

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Rescue teams later located the ferry about 19 nautical miles north of Buruan (Sapudi) Island. The operation involved personnel from Basarnas, the Indonesian Navy and nearby commercial vessels.

Several passengers jumped into the sea wearing life jackets as the fire spread through the vessel, according to officials. Rescue efforts were slowed by rough sea conditions.

Authorities said search operations were continuing for those still unaccounted for. The number of casualties could change as the operation progresses.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. An investigation is expected once emergency operations are completed.