Indonesian Ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 Fire off Madura Island

An Indonesian ferry caught fire at sea on August 2, 2026, off Madura Island while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The vessel, identified by some sources as KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, was carrying approximately 250 passengers and crew when the incident occurred.

At least five people were killed in the fire, and 41 remained missing as of the time of reporting. Rescue operations successfully evacuated 225 people from the vessel, according to the Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency.

The ferry was almost entirely engulfed in flames during the incident. Some passengers jumped into the sea and were picked up by a nearby ship, while others gathered on the bridge and bow awaiting evacuation.

The captain reported the fire to authorities and subsequently lost contact with rescue officials. Four vessels were on standby near the ferry but could not approach due to the risk posed by flammable material on board.

The cause of the fire remained unknown and under investigation at the time of reporting, with authorities conducting preliminary inquiries into the incident.

Indonesia's maritime safety record has been under scrutiny following multiple ferry incidents. In July 2026, a separate ferry carrying over 70 people sank near Selayar island south of Sulawesi, resulting in four deaths and 14 people remaining missing by the end of the search operation.

Center-right outlets reported the ferry was located approximately 19 nautical miles north of Sapudi Island at the time of the incident, according to the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office. This specific geographic detail appeared only in coverage from The Times of India.

Center-left outlets provided different timing details for the emergency response. BBC News reported that the Surabaya Search and Rescue office received notification of the fire at 08:24 local time (02:24 GMT), though the shipping company estimated the fire had begun earlier, around 06:00–07:00 local time (00:00–01:00 GMT).

Center-right sources reported that videos circulating on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the upper decks and flames spreading through the ferry, providing visual documentation of the fire's severity.

The Straits Times, a center-right Singaporean outlet, quoted Ministry of Transportation official Muhammad Masyhud, who stated that based on preliminary field reports, passengers were waiting to be evacuated by nearby vessels. This official account of the evacuation status was not reported by other outlets in the source set.

Additional rescue resources faced significant travel time to reach the scene. The rescue vessel SAR 249 Permadi was en route from Surabaya, facing a journey of approximately six hours to arrive at the location of the stricken ferry.