Bad Weather Prolongs Evacuation of KM Mutiara Sentosa II Fire Victims

The evacuation process for victims of the KM Mutiara Sentosa II, which caught fire in the waters off Sumenep, Madura, East Java, took longer than expected due to adverse weather conditions. This was conveyed by the Head of Basarnas, Mohammad Syafii, on Monday (3/8). “At the time of the incident, the sea conditions were not favourable. Because of that, the evacuation process took time, but Alhamdulillah, within one day we were able to evacuate all the victims present,” he stated at Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya, East Java, on Monday (3/8). Basarnas received assistance from ships passing through the surrounding waters. Syafii said the victims of the KM Mutiara Sentosa II who were found and evacuated were rescued thanks to the help of these vessels. Additionally, Basarnas utilised an application to search for victims of the KM Mutiara Sentosa II. The SAR-owned application, he explained, can calculate wind direction, current speed, wave height, and wave speed, making the search area more accurate. “It becomes a consideration for determining the operational pattern,” he said. He expressed hope that all victims of the KM Mutiara Sentosa II would be found. “Hopefully, all victims have been found,” he stated. The fire occurred on the KMP Mutiara Sentosa II while it was sailing in the northern waters of Sumenep Regency on Sunday (2/8). The passenger ship was serving the Surabaya-Makassar route. The fire broke out between 06:00 and 07:00 WIB.