A fire has broken out on a vessel plying one of Indonesia's busiest inter-island transit corridors in Madura, East Java, triggering a multi-vessel search and rescue effort off the coast, Jakarta Globe reports. So far, the latest report reveals that five people have been found dead and at least 41 are still missing.

Reported by the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office (Basarnas), the roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) passenger ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 caught fire near Madura Island with approximately 271 passengers and crew aboard. The vessel was en route from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya to Makassar, South Sulawesi, when the captain reported the onboard fire. Footage played by local Indonesian news outlet iNews records large numbers of people in life jackets on what appears to be a lifeboat.

Nanang Sigit, Head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, confirmed that the emergency alert was received from the Tanjung Perak Harbourmaster's Office at 8:24 am, following initial reports from the vessel's captain between 6:00 am and 7:00 am, before communication was lost. The ferry was located approximately 19 nautical miles off Buruan Sapudi Island when flames engulfed its upper decks. Nearby commercial and tug vessels, including TB Hasnur 26 and the tanker British Mentor, diverted to assist in rescuing passengers who had jumped overboard, while the specialised rescue ship SAR 249 Permadi was deployed to lead evacuation efforts.

In remote maritime corridors, nearby commercial and industrial vessels play an essential role as first responders before specialised Basarnas rescue ships arrive. The rapid spread of flames across passenger decks highlights the need for stricter enforcement of onboard fire suppression systems and emergency power reliability on long-haul Ro-Ro ferries.