Indonesian rescue agencies continued search operations on Monday for 28 people who remain missing after a passenger ferry caught fire near Madura Island, with authorities confirming that five people have died and 238 others have been rescued. The incident occurred on the KM Mutiara Sentosa ferry, which was carrying 271 passengers while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The ferry caught fire on Sunday during its journey, triggering a large-scale emergency response involving police, naval forces and rescue teams.

Authorities said efforts were underway to locate passengers who are still unaccounted for as teams searched the surrounding waters. Arman Asmara Syarifuddin, director of marine and air affairs at East Java police, confirmed the latest figures. He said that out of the 271 people on board, 28 remain missing, five have been confirmed dead and 238 have been rescued. “Police with the rescue agency and the Navy have deployed seven boats and one helicopter to find the missing people,” Arman told Reuters.

The rescue operation includes several vessels, including a naval corvette, speed boats and a patrol boat capable of carrying around 100 passengers. The helicopter has also been deployed to assist teams in covering a wider search area around the ferry’s route. Madura Island, where the incident occurred, is located off the northeastern coast of Java and is part of East Java province. The region has busy maritime routes connecting major Indonesian islands, with ferries playing an important role in passenger and goods transportation.

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The KM Mutiara Sentosa was travelling from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, towards Makassar, a major port city in South Sulawesi, when the fire broke out. Authorities have not yet released details about what caused the blaze. Indonesia, an archipelago nation with thousands of islands, relies heavily on ferry services for domestic travel. However, maritime accidents have occurred in the past due to factors including weather conditions, mechanical issues and safety challenges. Officials are continuing to gather information about the incident while focusing on rescue efforts.

Families of missing passengers are awaiting updates as search teams work to determine whether more survivors can be found. The authorities have not announced when the search operation will conclude, but rescue teams are expected to continue efforts until all missing passengers are accounted for. Further investigations will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire and assess safety measures on the vessel. The ferry fire has once again highlighted the importance of maritime safety standards in Indonesia, where passenger vessels remain a critical mode of transport connecting communities across the country’s vast island network.

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