At least five people have died and 41 others are missing after a ferry caught fire near the Indonesian island of Madura on Sunday morning, according to search and rescue officials. The cause of the blaze remains unclear.

The vessel was carrying 271 passengers and crew members from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city in East Java, across the Java Sea to Makassar in South Sulawesi. By Sunday afternoon, 225 people had been rescued, but the operation was still ongoing.

Some passengers reportedly jumped overboard and were picked up by a nearby ship. Four other vessels were on standby but could not approach due to the risk posed by flammable material on the ferry, officials said.

Muhammad Masyhud, a senior official at the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, stated: "The safety of passengers and crew is our top priority. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant parties to ensure that the evacuation process can proceed quickly, safely, and effectively." The ship's captain reported the fire but has not been in contact since.

Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, frequently experiences marine accidents due to unpredictable weather and lax safety standards. Last month, a ferry carrying more than 70 people sank near Selayar Island, resulting in at least four deaths and 14 missing.

Source: www.dw.com