In brief
A passenger ferry carrying 271 people caught fire near Madura island, leading to five confirmed deaths and 41 missing persons. The ship was traveling from Surabaya to Makassar when the blaze erupted. Rescue teams from the National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, have begun search operations in the surrounding waters. Video footage shows passengers in life jackets on a lifeboat amid smoke and flames, with authorities monitoring the situation closely.
Five lives lost, 41 missing as Indonesian ferry erupts in flames off Madura island.
The passenger vessel, carrying 271 people, was heading from Surabaya, the country’s second‑largest city, towards Makassar in South Sulawesi when the blaze broke out.
Rescue crews from the National Search and Rescue Agency, Basarnas, confirmed five casualties while 41 passengers remain unaccounted for.
Video from local broadcaster iNews shows passengers in life jackets aboard a lifeboat as smoke and flames rise from the ship.
Authorities are coordinating search efforts in the off‑shore waters; updates are expected as the situation unfolds.
