Five dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire

Image source, BasarnasImage caption, KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry with thick plumes of smoke billowing from behind

Five people have been found dead and 41 are missing after an Indonesian ferry carrying at least 250 people caught fire while at sea, officials say.

The captain of the ship reported the fire - off Madura island - as the vessel sailed from the country's second-largest city, Surabaya in East Java, to Makassar in South Sulawesi, according to Basarnas, the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Footage played by local Indonesian news outlet iNews shows large numbers of people in life jackets on what appears to be a lifeboat.

Other clips show people climbing down from the ferry that has flames and plumes of smoke coming from the top of the vessel.

Basarnas posted a video to its TikTok, with a statement saying at 08:24 (02:24 GMT) the Surabaya Search and Rescue office received information that passenger ship KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 was on fire.

"Based on information from the shipping company, the fire occurred at around 06:00-07:00 (00:00-01:00 GMT)."

Later, Basarnas said it got confirmation the ferry "was almost entirely engulfed in flames" as "passengers held on in the ship's bridge and bow while awaiting rescue".

In some of the footage, can be seen jumping into the sea, with crowds of people in life jackets gathering and lifebuoys being thrown to some before they are carried into a rescue ship.

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