In Indonesia, five persons lost their lives and 41 are still missing after a ferry carrying 271 passengers and crew caught fire while at sea off Madura Island today.
The country’s Search and Rescue Agency said, of those on board, 225 have been rescued so far.
The agency said, the captain of the ship reported the fire as the vessel sailed from the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya in East Java province, to Makassar in South Sulawesi. A search and rescue operation is underway as teams work to locate the missing passengers.
The vessel was travelling from Surabaya in East Java to Makassar in South Sulawesi. The cause of the fire remains unclear, and the search and rescue operation is ongoing.
Multiple vessels, including a tanker and an Indonesian Navy warship, were deployed to assist with the rescue efforts.