Minister of Transportation: Investigation Launched into KM Mutiara Sentosa Fire
Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi has confirmed that an investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire on KMP Mutiara Sentosa II in Sumenep, East Java, which occurred on Sunday morning (2/8). “The investigation process will be carried out immediately to determine the cause of the ship fire,” the minister said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.
The minister directly inspected the evacuation process of passengers from KM Mutiara Sentosa II, which caught fire in the northern waters of Sumenep Regency. From Kalianget port in Sumenep, Dudy confirmed that the evacuation process proceeded smoothly. He expressed his deepest condolences for the disaster and ensured that the evacuation process was carried out optimally so that all passengers and crew could be found and receive further treatment from officers. The evacuation of passengers and crew was led by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
The minister continued to directly monitor developments in handling the KM Mutiara Sentosa II fire and conducted intensive coordination with the heads of local governments in Madura, the SAR Team, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Indonesian National Police, the Harbourmaster’s Office, the ship operator, and all elements involved in the rescue operation. He ensured that all necessary resources had been deployed to support the evacuation, search, rescue, and handling of victims.
Dudy also met with Sumenep Regent Achmad Fauzi Wongsojudo to strengthen coordination for victim handling. The minister expressed his gratitude to the Regent of Sumenep and the ranks of the Sumenep Regency Regional Leadership Coordination Forum for moving quickly from the start of the incident by deploying all available resources to support the rescue operation and victim handling. He also gave high appreciation to all regional heads in the Madura area who showed a fast and solid response in dealing with the emergency situation. Appreciation was also given to the owners and operators of the rescue vessels that assisted in the rapid rescue process. “Inter-regional synergy like this is very important in accelerating rescue and providing a sense of security to the community,” said the minister.
After leaving Sumenep, the minister departed directly for Surabaya to conduct further monitoring through the Integrated Command Post for Handling the KM Mutiara Sentosa II Ship Accident at Tanjung Perak Port. As part of the integrated post-incident handling, the Ministry of Transportation has prepared an Integrated Command Post at the Gapura Surya Nusantara Terminal, Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya. The command post serves as the coordination centre for all involved elements and as a service point for evacuated victims. The post also provides support for the recovery process, initial medical treatment, data re-verification, and the delivery of official information to the victims’ families. “The Integrated Command Post at the GSN Terminal Tanjung Perak is ready to operate as a service centre for affected passengers and victims’ families. We will also continue to convey handling developments periodically after all data has been verified,” the minister explained.
It is known that KMP Mutiara Sentosa II caught fire on Sunday morning (2/8) between 06.00 and 07.00 WIB in the Northern Waters of Sumenep, Java Sea. Information regarding the incident was received at 08.30 WIB and was immediately followed up by the Directorate General of Sea Transportation through the Kalianget SROP by broadcasting the ship accident information and coordinating with Basarnas for the search and rescue operation. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Transportation deployed the KPLP patrol vessel KN Grantin P.211 to the scene and prepared KN Masalembo to support the handling operation. The evacuation process was also strengthened by the involvement of nearby vessels, including TB Hasnur 26, KM Prakarsa Mas, KM Meratus Pematang Siantar, and KM Transco Arafura, enabling the rescue effort to proceed quickly and in a coordinated manner.