What Caused Fatal Mutiara Sentosa 2 Ship Fire Off East Java

August 3, 2026 | 05:57 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) will immediately investigate the cause of the fire on the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 passenger vessel. The fire occurred while the ship was sailing in the waters off Sumenep Regency, East Java, on Sunday, August 2, 2026.

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) confirmed the step and reiterated the government's commitment to prioritizing passenger safety in maritime transportation. "The government will immediately launch an investigation because we need to know the exact cause of this incident," the Democratic Party chairperson said in a written statement on Monday, August 3, 2026.

According to AHY, the KNKT investigation will require time before official findings can be disclosed to the public. While awaiting the investigation results, he said search and rescue teams would continue evacuating victims and cross-checking passenger manifests.

"The Ministry of Transportation, through the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, is still verifying passenger data and evacuation results, working alongside the SAR team and patrol vessels," AHY said.

AHY also emphasized the necessity of re-evaluating vessel conditions, crew preparedness, passenger capacities, and weather shifts. Strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) remains a mandatory mitigation step to prevent maritime accidents resulting from human negligence.

He further urged the modernization of the national maritime fleet to elevate safety standards and service quality across sea transport routes. "We want to ensure that maritime transportation prioritizes safety. SOPs are implemented, standard operating procedures are followed, and passenger safety is paramount. We must also mitigate weather conditions and ensure ships remain seaworthy," AHY said.

As reported by Antara, data from the Basarnas Command Post on Sunday evening indicated that 236 people had been evacuated from the vessel. The total includes 231 survivors and five fatalities. However, authorities have yet to release official details regarding the identities of the victims, including whether they were passengers or crew members.

The KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 reportedly caught fire between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) off the northern coast of Madura Island. Communication with the ship's captain was lost shortly after the fire broke out. Traveling from Surabaya to Makassar, the KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 was carrying 236 people onboard.

Read: Indonesia Ferry Fire Rescue: 234 Passengers Evacuated, 5 Dead Confirmed

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