Overview
- The Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire on Sunday while sailing from Surabaya to Makassar, and several survivors said the blaze appeared to start in a truck on the vehicle deck.
- Rescue teams have retrieved about 225–231 people and recovered five bodies while roughly 40–41 people remain unlocated, but totals are uncertain because many passengers may not have been on the official manifest.
- A mix of passing merchant vessels, tugs, Basarnas rescue units and the navy evacuated most passengers, and rescuers said inflammable cargo and rough seas limited how closely some ships could approach the burning ferry.
- The transport ministry and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) have opened investigations to determine the cause of the fire and to review the operator's safety compliance and cargo procedures.
- The accident underlines chronic risks in Indonesia's inter‑island ferry network, where older ships, underreported passenger lists and loose cargo controls have repeatedly complicated rescues and could prompt tighter inspections and enforcement.