The ferry was carrying around 250 passengers and crew when the blaze erupted.

11:59, Sun, Aug 2, 2026 Updated: 12:09, Sun, Aug 2, 2026

Fire on the vessel

Five people have died and 41 are still missing (Image: BASARNAS HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)

At least five people have died and more than 40 remain missing after a fire erupted aboard a ferry carrying 250 people. The blaze erupted on the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 on Sunday, as it was just off Madura Island in Indonesia.

The vessel was en route from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya to Makassar on Sulawesi Island when the captain reported a fire. A desperate search and rescue operation has since been launched, with vessels located in the area rushing to help evacuate the ship and locate the 41 missing.

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Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, said: "TB Hasnur 26 and the British Mentor are assisting in evacuating passengers who jumped from KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2. Four vessels are now alongside the ferry."

A rescue vessel, SAR 249 Permadi, was en route to the scene but faced an estimated travel time of about six hours, the Times of India reports.