Indonesian Ferry Fire Kills Five, Leaves 41 Missing

Jakarta, Aug 2026 : Five people were killed and 41 others remained missing after an Indonesian ferry caught fire while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi on Sunday, authorities said.

The regional Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency said 225 people aboard the vessel had been rescued in the latest update. Several passengers jumped into the sea after the fire broke out and were later picked up by a nearby ship.

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, said four other vessels were standing by near the ferry but were unable to approach because of the danger posed by flammable materials aboard the burning vessel.

The ferry’s captain reportedly contacted the operating company to alert officials about the fire while the vessel was at sea. However, authorities said they had not been able to establish contact with the captain since the initial distress communication.

A larger rescue team was dispatched from Surabaya to assist with the emergency operation. The journey to the accident site was expected to take around six hours, according to Basarnas.

Transportation Ministry official Muhammad Masyhud said passengers were waiting to be evacuated by vessels operating near the location of the incident.

“The safety of passengers and crew is our top priority,” Masyhud said, adding that authorities were coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the evacuation was conducted as quickly and safely as possible.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Search and rescue teams continued efforts to locate those still missing, while authorities worked to evacuate passengers from the stricken vessel.

The accident once again highlights concerns over maritime safety in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a crucial mode of transportation. Marine accidents occur regularly, with safety lapses, overcrowding and unpredictable weather often cited as contributing factors.

The latest incident follows another serious ferry disaster last month, when a vessel carrying more than 70 people sank while travelling near Selayar, a small island south of Sulawesi. At least four people were confirmed dead, while 14 others were still missing when the search operation concluded.

Authorities are expected to investigate the latest fire, including the circumstances surrounding its outbreak, the vessel’s safety measures and the subsequent evacuation efforts.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)