Indonesian Ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 Fire off Madura Island

An Indonesian passenger ferry named KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire at sea on August 2, 2026, while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The incident occurred near Madura island, approximately 35 km north of Sapudi island in the Sumenep regency. The fire broke out between approximately 06:00 and 07:00 local time, with the Surabaya Search and Rescue office receiving notification at 08:24 local time (02:24 GMT).

Five people were confirmed killed in the ferry fire. The cause of the fire remained unclear and was under investigation.

Passengers jumped overboard during the fire as the vessel burned. Some were picked up by nearby ships, while others drifted for hours before rescue. Indonesian navy ships and passing vessels assisted in the rescue at the scene. However, other vessels near the ferry at the time could not approach due to the risk posed by flammable material on board.

The number of people rescued varied across sources and updates as the operation unfolded, with figures reported ranging from 225 to 238 at different points. A larger rescue operation was dispatched from Surabaya, approximately a six-hour boat journey from the incident site. Most evacuees were brought back to the Port of Gapura Surya Nusantara in Surabaya on the morning of August 3.

Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, attributed partly to lax safety standards and unpredictable weather. Indonesia relies heavily on ferries as sea routes are more affordable and accessible than air travel across its archipelago of over 17,000 islands. In July 2026, a separate ferry transporting more than 70 people sank near Selayar island, south of Sulawesi; at least four people were found dead and 14 remained missing by the end of the search operation.

In Indonesia, it is common for the actual number of passengers on a ferry to differ from the manifest, which can complicate search and rescue efforts. This structural issue affected the response to the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 incident.

The total number of people aboard when the ferry left Surabaya was uncertain. Initial manifests stated 271 including 39 crew, while updated official figures ranged from 236 to 250-plus. Officials acknowledged that more people were aboard than listed on the manifest, and they were relying partly on reports from victims' families to determine how many people were missing.

Center-left outlets reported specific survivor accounts of the fire's progression. According to these reports, the fire broke out while passengers were eating breakfast, with smoke entering the information room and sleeping quarters before explosions occurred. Survivors reported hearing multiple blasts moments before the vessel caught fire. The blaze originated in the stern, and passengers fleeing to the bow were given life jackets. One survivor reported seeing no lifeboats aboard the ferry.

The captain reported the fire to the ferry company and Basarnas before losing contact. BBC News, a center-left outlet, reported that the ferry was almost entirely engulfed in flames at the height of the incident.

The number of missing passengers fluctuated across official reports. The initial official figure given on August 2 was 41 missing. By August 3, one East Java police official reported approximately 28 missing, while other reports on August 3 used 28 as the working figure. The Straits Times explicitly noted that numbers provided by officials had fluctuated wildly throughout the operation.