Jakarta, August 2: At least five individuals have lost their lives and 41 people remain unaccounted for after a massive fire broke out aboard the passenger ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 in Indonesian waters on Sunday. The vessel was carrying 271 passengers and crew members while traveling from Surabaya, East Java, toward Makassar in South Sulawesi when the disaster struck. Rescue vessels immediately scrambled to the location to pull survivors from the water as the blaze spread across the deck.
Multiple ships operating in the area altered their routes to assist with emergency evacuations after panic-stricken passengers leaped into the sea. Officials from the National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, confirmed that local maritime traffic played a vital role in the initial response.
“TB Hasnur 26 and the British Mentor are assisting in evacuating passengers who jumped from KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2,” stated Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office. He affirmed that four vessels had successfully come alongside the burning ferry to render immediate aid.
Specialized rescue teams were dispatched to strengthen the ongoing operation from the mainland. “SAR 249 Permadi is en route to the scene but had an estimated travel time of about six hours,” Nanang declared, maintaining that every available resource was being deployed to locate the missing travelers. Emergency personnel remain at the site as search operations persist.
