Fire on Indonesian Ferry: At Least 5 Dead and 41 Missing
At least 5 people have died and 41 are missing after a fire broke out on an Indonesian ferry on Sunday. According to Basarnas, some passengers jumped into the water to escape the flames, and several were rescued by passing vessels.
A total of 225 people were rescued from the ferry. Four other ships were on standby nearby but could not approach due to the danger posed by flammable materials on board.
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The ferry's captain reported the fire while en route from Surabaya to Makassar, but after that, communication was lost. A large rescue operation has been launched from Surabaya, which is six hours away from the incident site.
Transportation Ministry official Muhammad Masihud stated: "According to preliminary data, passengers are waiting for evacuation on vessels nearby the incident area." He added that passenger and crew safety is our absolute priority.
Indonesia, an archipelagic state with over 17,000 islands, frequently faces maritime incidents, often linked to safety violations and unpredictable weather conditions.
Last month, at least 4 people died and 14 were reported missing after a ferry carrying over 70 people sank off the coast of a small tropical island.
