Indonesia ferry fire exposes unregistered child passengers and triggers parliamentary safety probe

On 2 August 2026, the passenger ferry KMP Mutiara Sentosa II caught fire in waters north of Madura, Sumenep, East Java. The blaze resulted in the deaths of five children, who the vessel’s operator later confirmed were not listed on the ship’s passenger manifest. PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran (ALP) branch manager Ferdinan Pondang said, “Daftar anak itu memang tidak didaftarkan oleh si pembeli tiket ini kepada kami. Jadi, anak yang lima itu tidak termasuk manifes.”

The incident prompted a parliamentary inquiry. Commission V of the DPR announced a hearing on 19 August 2026, inviting the Ministry of Transportation, the National Committee for Transportation Safety (KNKT), state port operator Pelindo, and the ferry operator for testimony. Chair Lasarus told reporters, “Kami akan undang semua ke DPR untuk kami mintai keterangan terkait dengan kecelakaan Mutiara Sentosa 2 ini.”

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi visited the scene at Kalianget Port, and rescue operations were coordinated by Basarnas with support from the Ministry, the TNI, police, local authorities and the ship’s crew.