Indonesia: Ferry fire leaves five dead, 41 missing as rescue efforts continue

At least five people have died and 41 are missing after an Indonesian passenger ferry carrying 271 people caught fire at sea on Sunday.

According to the officials, the captain of the ship first reported the fire off Madura Island as the set vessel voyaged from the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi as confirmed by the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Given the gravity of the incident ongoing, a search rescue operation was still ongoing while it remains unclear how the ferry caught fire.

A footage released by local Indonesian news outlet iNews shows a large group of people close together in life jackets on what appears to be a lifeboat.

Additionally, other clips show people climbing down the ferry that has flames and plumes of smoke emitting from the top of the vessel. The incident occurred early in the morning, and the ferry was heading from Surabaya in East Java province to Makassar city in South Sulawesi.