VIDEO/ Ferry Catches Fire in Indonesia, Five Dead and 41 Missing

A fire aboard a passenger ferry at sea in Indonesia has killed five people, while 41 others remain missing.

At least 250 people were aboard the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry, according to local authorities. The fire broke out as the vessel was sailing near the island of Madura on a route from Surabaya, the country’s second-largest city, to Makassar.

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency said the ferry’s captain raised the alarm about the fire. Rescue teams headed to the scene immediately after receiving the report.

The BBC reports that information about the incident was received at around 08:24 local time. Meanwhile, the transport company had said that the fire started at approximately between 06:00 and 07:00.

Videos broadcast by local media show dozens of passengers wearing life jackets. Other footage shows people leaving the ferry as flames and thick plumes of smoke rise from the vessel.

Authorities later confirmed that the fire had engulfed almost the entire ferry. While awaiting rescue teams, passengers had gathered around the bridge and at the front of the vessel.

To escape the flames, some passengers were forced to jump into the sea. Others stayed together in groups, wearing life jackets, until rescue vessels arrived.

The search and rescue operation is still ongoing. Authorities are trying to locate the missing people while also investigating the cause of the fire.