KMP Mutiara Sentosa II Ferry Suspected of Lacking Lifeboats After Fire Incident

The KMP Mutiara Sentosa II ferry, which caught fire in the waters north of Sumenep, Madura, East Java, is suspected of lacking lifeboats, according to initial reports from the search and rescue operation. Head of Basarnas, Air Marshal Madya TNI Mohammad Syafii, stated that the suspicion is strengthened by the SAR team's failure to find any lifeboats or rubber rafts in the vicinity of the burned vessel.

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Yes, for now, we have not found [lifeboats on KMP Mutiara Sentosa].

"Yes, for now, we have not found [lifeboats on KMP Mutiara Sentosa]," Syafii said. The absence of lifeboats reportedly led passengers and crew to jump into the sea, relying solely on life vests for survival. Syafii confirmed that almost all rescued individuals, both survivors and those found deceased, were wearing life vests.

Adding to the uncertainty, the current location of the KMP Mutiara Sentosa II remains unconfirmed. Syafii mentioned that the ship was no longer visible when the SAR team returned to the location after escorting victims to evacuation points. While they have not officially declared the ship lost, they are considering factors like ocean currents before determining its status.

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Meaning that all the victims we evacuated were wearing life vests. That means it. So that when, for example, someone died during the evacuation, they were also floating while wearing a life vest.

The ferry, which operated on the Surabaya-Makassar route, was carrying approximately 250 people when the fire broke out on Sunday, August 2nd. The Surabaya SAR office received the initial report of the fire at 8:24 a.m. WIB, followed by confirmation from the ship's operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran. The captain had reportedly communicated the fire incident around 6-7 a.m. WIB before communication was lost.

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Indeed, when we returned to the location, the ship was not visible. But we have not declared it lost.