KMP Mutiara Sentosa II caught fire in waters north of Sumenep, Madura, in East Java. According to Basarnas data as of Tuesday, August 4, a total of 238 people aboard the vessel were evacuated. Of those, 233 were found safe, while five others died.
Maruly Hendra Utama, coordinator of the Indonesian Ferry Users Community, urged the public to give the National Committee on Transportation Safety (KNKT) space and time to investigate the cause of the accident. He called on ship owners and other authorities to concentrate on rescue efforts, victim recovery, and consolidating data on damages while waiting for the KNKT investigation.
Maruly also hoped the KNKT's investigation results and recommendations would be fully disclosed to the public to provide lessons and stricter mitigation measures. He advised maritime transport users to provide accurate information about cargo and to firmly assert their safety rights and the number of passengers aboard.
One suspected cause of the high death toll was that the vessel reportedly lacked lifeboats for emergency situations, forcing passengers and crew to jump into the sea using only life vests. Maruly denied rumours circulated on podcasts and social media claiming KMP Mutiara Sentosa II was owned by two prominent Indonesian businessmen, calling instead for public trust in the KNKT's investigation.
Basarnas ended active monitoring of KMP Mutiara Sentosa II after four days of searches and surveillance in waters north of Madura, with no indication of the ship or additional casualties, according to Nanang Sigit PH, head of Surabaya Class A Search and Rescue Office. The decision came on the seventh day after the fire, when no signs of missing victims were found.
