newspop
New Delhi : At least five people lost their lives while 41 others remain missing after a passenger ferry caught fire near Indonesia’s Madura Island on Sunday, triggering a massive search and rescue operation.
According to Indonesian authorities, the ferry was carrying 271 passengers and crew members on its voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi when the fire broke out.
By Sunday afternoon, rescue teams had safely evacuated 225 people. Several rescue vessels have been deployed to search the surrounding waters for those still unaccounted for. Officials have yet to determine the cause of the blaze.
The tragedy has once again highlighted long-standing concerns over maritime safety in Indonesia, where ferry accidents linked to overcrowding and onboard fires have occurred repeatedly. In July 2025, the KM Barcelona 5 ferry caught fire off North Sulawesi, claiming three lives while around 150 passengers were rescued.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident as rescue efforts continue and anxious families await news of the missing.
