Ferry fire in Indonesia: five dead, 41 missing

A fire erupted on an Indonesian passenger ferry, the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, off the coast of Madura Island, resulting in at least five deaths and 41 people missing. The vessel was carrying 271 passengers and crew on a voyage from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, to Makassar on Sulawesi Island.

Rescuers have managed to save 225 individuals, and search and rescue operations continue. The ferry's captain reported the fire while the ship was at sea, north of Madura, before communication was lost. The Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency received the initial report of the incident around 8:24 AM local time, with the fire believed to have started between 6 and 7 AM.

Footage shared by Indonesian media shows people in life jackets and thick smoke billowing from the ferry's upper decks. Some passengers reportedly jumped into the sea to escape the flames, where they were rescued by nearby vessels. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities are working to verify the passenger and crew lists, and the death toll may change as the search progresses.