On Sunday (August 2), a serious ferry fire accident occurred in the waters near Madura Island in East Java Province, Indonesia, resulting in at least 5 deaths and 41 people missing.
According to reports from Reuters, the incident happened on Sunday morning when the ferry, carrying 271 people including 232 passengers and 39 crew members, caught fire near Madura Island while en route from Surabaya to Makassar. At the time of the fire, the ferry was about 19 nautical miles from the nearest land, with the vessel almost completely engulfed in flames. Some passengers were trapped in the wheelhouse and bow of the ship, awaiting rescue.
The Indonesian national search and rescue agency stated that as of now, 225 people have been rescued. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and more details of the accident have not been disclosed yet.
Since 41 people are still missing, search and rescue teams are continuing their efforts to find the missing individuals in the area where the incident occurred. The number of casualties, both deaths and missing persons, may still change as the search continues.