Ferry fire in Indonesia leaves five dead, 41 missing

A ferry carrying 271 passengers caught fire off the coast of Madura Island in Indonesia, leading to five confirmed deaths and 41 people still missing. The vessel was on its route from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, to Makassar on Sulawesi island when the incident occurred Sunday morning.

According to Indonesia's national search and rescue agency, 225 of the passengers have been safely rescued. Rescue efforts are continuing as authorities work to determine the cause of the fire.

The ferry, KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, was reportedly carrying approximately 250 individuals at the time of the incident. Information about the fire was initially received by the Surabaya SAR office from the Tanjung Perak Port Authority. The ship's operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, also confirmed the fire shortly after.

Initial reports from the ship's captain indicated the fire started between 6 and 7 a.m. local time in the northern waters of Madura. Communication with the captain was subsequently lost. The exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation.