5 dead, 41 still missing; There were 271 passenger-crew on board; Deadly accident near Madura Island in Indonesia

A fire broke out on a passenger ferry boat near the Indonesian island of Madura on Sunday morning. According to Reuters, at least five people were killed in the crash, while 41 people are still missing. A total of 271 passengers and crew members were on board the ferry, according to Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency. As of noon, 225 people had been rescued safely, while the search for the rest is ongoing. The ferry was on its way from Surabaya in East Java to Makasar in South Sulawesi. In the meantime, it caught fire near Madura Island. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Rescue operations are currently underway to trace the missing people. Here are 5 pictures of the accident. Videos and pictures of the incident showed plumes of black smoke coming out of the ferry. Passengers were seen running towards the front of the ferry to save their lives after the fire spread. A lot of people were scared. The rescue team is searching for the missing people in the surrounding sea area. According to the Search and Rescue Agency, several rescue boats and other resources were sent to the scene after the accident. Rescue teams are conducting search operations in the sea to trace the missing people. Officials said the operation is still underway and the number of dead or missing people could change. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials said. The accident will be investigated. The agency is yet to give any official information about the cause of the fire. A similar incident took place last year, when a ferry caught fire in Indonesia about a year ago. In July 2025, a fire broke out on a passenger ferry named KM Barcelona 5 near North Sulawesi province. Three people were killed in that disaster, while about 150 people were rescued. There were about 280 people on board. Earlier in May 2021, a fire broke out in the Molucca Sea shortly after the ferry named KM Kar Indah departed from Ternat. In the meantime, the passengers and crew had to jump into the sea to save their lives. All 181 passengers, including 22 children, and 14 crew members were rescued with the help of local fishermen and rescue agencies. There were no casualties in that accident. Indonesia is the largest island country in the world, with more than 17,000 islands. A large number of people depend on ferry services to travel from one island to another. Under such circumstances, marine accidents are considered common here. In many cases, improper adherence to the rules of boat and ferry services is also considered to be a major cause of accidents. Videos that have gone viral on social media have also surfaced some visuals during the accident, in which passengers are seen running towards the front of the burning ferry (bow). The administration says the matter is being investigated and the rescue team is working continuously. In July 2025, a fire broke out on a ferry in Indonesia.