Indonesian rescuers search for missing passengers after Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry fire leaves at least five dead
Indonesian rescuers are searching for missing passengers after a ferry fire off the main island of Java left at least five people dead. The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry was traveling from Surabaya to Makassar when a fire broke out between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Sunday. While the ship's manifest listed 271 people, officials are currently relying on family reports to determine the exact number of missing passengers due to common discrepancies in passenger counts. Survivor Ahmad Abdul Karim noted that the fire appeared to start in a truck on the lower vehicle deck and spread rapidly, forcing passengers to leap into the sea. Many survivors remained in the water for approximately four hours before being rescued by passing vessels and the Indonesian navy. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that the government will review the operator's performance once the National Transportation Safety Committee completes its investigation into the cause of the fire.