Revisiting Indonesia's Maritime Safety System After Latest Ferry Fire

The Indonesian maritime world has been rocked once again following the fire on the KM Mutiara Sentosa II in the waters north of Madura Island. The vessel, serving the Surabaya-Makassar route, was engulfed in flames on Sunday morning (2/8). Official reports received by the Surabaya Search and Rescue (SAR) office from the Tanjung Perak Harbour Master confirmed the incident. By Monday (3/8) morning, rescue teams had successfully evacuated 232 passengers, though tragically, five people lost their lives. Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi visited the scene at Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya to inspect the condition of the ship. He noted that while the fire had severely damaged the vessel, it remained afloat and had not sunk. The incident adds to a troubling list of maritime accidents in the country, intensifying scrutiny on the nation’s shipping safety systems.