Rescuers Search for Missing Passengers Near Madura
Five people were confirmed dead and dozens remained missing after the Mutiara Sentosa 2 passenger ferry caught fire early Sunday while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi. Passengers jumped into the sea to escape the flames, and some spent nearly four hours in the water before passing vessels rescued them.
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The fire broke out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time north of Madura island, roughly 35 kilometers from Sapudi island. Rough seas slowed the emergency response, while uncertainty about how many people were aboard complicated efforts to identify everyone who needed rescuing.
The passenger manifest, the official list of people aboard, recorded at least 271 people. Officials said the actual number may have been higher because passenger totals on Indonesian ferries often differ from their lists. Families were asked to help identify passengers whose names had not been recorded.
Rescue figures ranged from 225 to 231 people in the Sunday evening tally, while another tally put the number rescued at 231 to 238. Five bodies had been recovered. Initial estimates of the missing ranged from 41 down to 28 as officials checked the manifest against names reported by families.
Flames Spread From the Vehicle Deck
Survivors described the fire beginning among trucks on the vehicle deck, the part of the ferry used to transport vehicles. The ship was carrying 180 vehicles, mostly trucks, which added to the fire risk as flames spread through the lower deck.
Ahmad Abdul Karim, a passenger who escaped, said someone reported smoke coming from below. When he went to check, two vehicles were already burning. Strong winds helped the flames spread, forcing people toward the bow, the front of the ship, within about half an hour.
The captain alerted the ferry operator about an hour after the fire began. Contact was soon lost as the flames spread rapidly across the decks, leaving rescuers responding to an emergency in which passengers were already abandoning the vessel.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. No official determination had been released, and the National Transportation Safety Committee was expected to establish what happened before the government decided on any regulatory changes.
Passengers Escaped Into the Sea
Azhari, another passenger who uses one name, told television interviewers that many people had just woken when the fire reached the middle of the ferry. With the flames advancing, passengers jumped overboard wearing life jackets.
Some remained in the water for nearly four hours. Passing vessels eventually pulled them aboard, providing help while rescue teams traveled to the scene. Their accounts describe how quickly an ordinary journey between Java and Sulawesi became a struggle to get away from the burning ship.
The movement toward the bow and the jumps into the sea were parts of the same escape. As the fire spread from the vehicle deck across other parts of the ferry, passengers had less space available to them aboard the vessel.
High Waves Delayed Rescue Boats
Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, known as Basarnas, dispatched vessels from Surabaya. The journey to the incident site took about six hours. A smaller rescue boat sent from a nearby post had to turn back because of high waves.
The navy sent a warship, and several cargo ships in the area helped with the rescue. Some of those ships were carrying flammable loads, which prevented them from approaching the burning ferry closely. Their crews therefore faced limits on how near they could safely get while helping people in the water.
Navy and police boats, together with helicopter support, were involved in the search. The search area extended ten miles east and west of the incident site, and operations were set to continue for at least seven days.
How the Emergency Unfolded
Sunday's response involved an initial warning from the ship, passengers escaping into the water, help from nearby vessels and the arrival of official rescue teams. The timing shows why passing ships were important while vessels from Surabaya were still traveling to the area.
- Between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time on Sunday, the ferry caught fire north of Madura island, roughly 35 kilometers from Sapudi island.
- Within about half an hour of the rapid spread described by Ahmad Abdul Karim, passengers were forced toward the bow.
- About an hour after the fire began, the captain alerted the operator. Contact was subsequently lost.
- Some passengers spent nearly four hours in the water before passing vessels rescued them.
- Rescue vessels dispatched from Surabaya took about six hours to reach the area.
- By Sunday evening, five bodies had been recovered and rescue and missing totals were being checked.
- The search was scheduled to continue for at least seven days.
Officials were still matching names and counting survivors as the rescue operation continued. The missing total changed from an initial 41 to as low as 28 during that process.
Passenger Lists Complicate the Count
Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, explained that passenger numbers on Indonesian ferries often differ from official lists. During an emergency, rescuers need to know both who was aboard and who has already reached safety.
The manifest's figure of at least 271 people was therefore only part of the counting process. Officials also needed information from families, particularly about travelers whose names might have been absent from the list. A hotline was opened so relatives could report unlisted passengers.
The rescue totals of 225 to 231 and 231 to 238, together with the changing missing count, reflected an emergency in which the number aboard was still being checked. Establishing that number was essential to identifying who remained unaccounted for.
A Major Route for People and Cargo
The Mutiara Sentosa 2 operates the journey between Surabaya and Makassar, a route taking about 40 hours. It is a common connection between Java and Sulawesi for travelers and cargo, carrying vehicles as well as passengers.
The ferry was built in Japan in 1992 and sold to Indonesia in 2015. It measures 160 meters long and has capacity for up to 689 passengers and 181 vehicles. Its load of 180 vehicles was just one below that vehicle capacity.
Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, making ferries a primary and affordable means of transport. Weak enforcement of safety rules and variable weather contribute to frequent maritime accidents. In this emergency, high waves directly affected how quickly some rescue vessels could reach passengers.
Last month, another ferry sank near Selayar island. Four people were confirmed dead, and 14 were still missing when search operations ended. The Mutiara Sentosa 2 fire brought another rescue effort involving deaths and people whose whereabouts remained unknown.
Operator Review Will Follow the Investigation
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said authorities would examine the performance of the ferry operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, after the National Transportation Safety Committee completed its investigation. Determining the exact cause was the first step before any changes to regulation.
Muhammad Masyhud from the Ministry of Transportation said passenger safety was the immediate priority. Coordination with all agencies was continuing to speed up evacuations while the search and rescue operation proceeded.
The government's response therefore involved two tasks: finding and accounting for passengers, and investigating the fire. The operator review was to follow the committee's findings, while rescue teams continued searching the waters around the incident site.
Key Points
- Five people were confirmed dead after the Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire Sunday on the Surabaya to Makassar route.
- The fire began between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. north of Madura island, roughly 35 kilometers from Sapudi island.
- Rescue tallies ranged from 225 to 231 and from 231 to 238; initial missing counts ranged from 41 down to 28.
- Survivors described flames among trucks on the vehicle deck, with strong winds accelerating their spread.
- Some passengers spent nearly four hours in the sea before passing vessels rescued them.
- The manifest listed at least 271 people, but officials said the actual number could have been higher.
- High waves hindered rescue boats, and the search was set to continue for at least seven days.
- The cause remained under investigation. Authorities planned to review PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran after the safety committee completed its probe.
