Indonesia Concludes Ferry Fire Rescue Mission With Five Confirmed Death

Indonesian authorities have concluded rescue operations following a deadly fire aboard the KM Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry that claimed five lives, after confirming that everyone listed on the vessel’s official manifest had been accounted for.

The ferry was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi on Sunday when a fire broke out, forcing passengers and crew to flee as emergency responders launched a large-scale rescue mission.

According to the National Search and Rescue Agency, 233 of the 238 passengers and crew on the official manifest were rescued, while five people died in the incident. Officials had earlier believed 271 people were on board, but a review of the passenger list confirmed the lower figure.

Many survivors spent hours in the sea wearing life jackets, while others reportedly jumped from the burning vessel to escape the flames.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains unknown.

Although the rescue mission has officially ended, officials said search operations could resume if families report missing relatives who were not included on the ferry’s official passenger manifest.