Ferry Fire Kills 5; Minister Orders Immediate Investigation

A fire erupted on the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry in the waters north of Madura, East Java, on Sunday, August 2, 2026. The passenger ferry was en route from Surabaya to Makassar with around 250 individuals on board when the incident occurred. The exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed as rescue and verification efforts are ongoing.

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The government will immediately launch an investigation, because we must know precisely what caused this incident.

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), has ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of the fire. Expressing deep condolences and concern over the incident, AHY stated, "The government will immediately launch an investigation because we need to know precisely what caused this incident." He stressed the importance of re-examining ship conditions, personnel, and weather conditions to ensure maritime safety.

The investigation will be conducted by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT). Minister AHY expressed hope that all victims would receive the best possible care. The government's priority is to determine the exact cause of the incident while ensuring passenger safety remains paramount in maritime transportation.

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The investigation will be conducted by KNKT, the National Transportation Safety Committee, and it will take time to explain to all of us what the cause is.

The Ministry of Transportation, through the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, in collaboration with the Search and Rescue (SAR) team, is continuing to verify passenger data and conduct evacuation processes. AHY reiterated that safety must be the top priority, emphasizing the need to strengthen Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), weather mitigation, and ship seaworthiness checks to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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First, the Ministry of Transportation, in this case the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, is still ensuring the verification of passenger data from the evacuation results together, in cooperation with the SAR team, then patrol ships.