Five dead, 41 missing in Indonesia ferry fire

A fire broke out on the Indonesian ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 while sailing from Surabaya to Makassar, killing five and leaving 41 missing.

The ferry was carrying 271 people, according to search and rescue officials, and local media reported around 250 passengers and crew.

The captain reported the fire to Basarnas, the National Search and Rescue Agency, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.

Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, said vessels TB Hasnur 26 and British Mentor assisted in evacuating passengers, and four vessels were alongside the ferry.

The search-and-rescue vessel SAR 249 Permadi was en route to the scene, with an estimated travel time of about six hours.