KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 Catches Fire in Sumenep, Passengers Leap into Sea
Several passengers aboard the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 attempted to save themselves by jumping into the sea when the vessel caught fire in the northern waters of Sumenep, Madura, on Sunday (2/8).
In footage circulating on social media, passengers can be seen on the ship’s bridge wearing life jackets, with several individuals seen leaping into the ocean to escape the blaze. Nanang Sigit, Head of the Surabaya SAR Office, stated that the passengers who jumped into the sea were subsequently evacuated by the tugboat TB Hasnur 26, which was deployed to the scene.
‘At 10:20 WIB, several passengers jumped into the sea and were evacuated by TB Hasnur 26,’ Sigit said in a statement on Sunday.
The KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, which operates on the Surabaya-Makassar route, was carrying approximately 250 passengers at the time of the incident. The Surabaya SAR Office received the initial report of the fire from the Tanjung Perak Harbour Master at 08:24 WIB, with the ship’s operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, confirming the incident one minute later.
According to information from the shipping company, the captain initially reported the fire occurring at the northern tip of Madura between 06:00 and 07:00 WIB, after which communication with the captain was lost.
Upon receiving the information, the SAR team immediately initiated coordination procedures. By 08:30 WIB, the Surabaya SAR Office coordinated with the Tanjung Perak Harbour Master to confirm the vessel’s last known position. Further coordination took place at 09:00 WIB between the Sumenep SAR Post and the Kalianget Coastal Radio Station (SROP).
Communication between the SROP and the Meratus Project 3 vessel, which was near the incident site, confirmed at 09:45 WIB that the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 was located 19 nautical miles north of Buruan Island, Sapudi. ‘The condition of the ship was nearly completely burnt, and passengers were located on the bridge and the bow,’ a spokesperson added.
The search and rescue operation involved several agencies, including KN SAR 249 Permadi, the Surabaya SAR Office, Sumenep SAR Post, Surabaya Harbour Master, VTS Surabaya, SROP Kalianget, KSOP Kalianget, the Meratus Project 3 vessel, and TB Hasnur 26.