A ferry carrying 271 passengers caught fire off Madura island while traveling between Surabaya and Makassar, resulting in five confirmed deaths and dozens still unaccounted for.

A major incident unfolded at sea when an Indonesian ferry erupted in flames while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The captain alerted authorities to the emergency after the fire broke out off Madura island, prompting immediate response from Basarnas, the National Search and Rescue Agency.

The vessel was carrying 271 people at the time of the incident. According to official reports, five individuals have been confirmed dead, while 41 remain missing following the emergency. Footage from local Indonesian media outlet iNews captured the scale of the emergency response, showing passengers wearing life jackets aboard rescue vessels and others evacuating the burning ship.

Video evidence documented the severity of the situation, with flames and heavy smoke billowing from the upper sections of the ferry as crew members assisted in evacuation efforts. The immediate deployment of rescue operations appears to have prevented further casualties, though search and rescue efforts continue for those unaccounted for.