All passengers and crew members aboard a ferry that caught fire off Indonesia’s Java island over the weekend have now been accounted for, an official said Tuesday, confirming that five people died in the incident.
Mohammad Syafii, head of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, said the total number of people recovered, including both survivors and those who died, matches the ferry’s passenger manifest. The final rescue vessel returned Tuesday carrying 62 people.
The ferry left the port of Surabaya on Sunday and was traveling to Makassar on the neighboring island of Sulawesi. It had been at sea for about six hours when the fire broke out.
Survivors told reporters Monday that they heard several explosions shortly before the fire started, forcing many people aboard to jump into the sea.
Mohammad said all the passengers who jumped into the water were wearing life jackets. He said rescue teams recovered all 238 people who entered the sea, including both survivors and those who died.
During the rescue operation, officials reported varying figures for the number of passengers aboard and those believed to be missing as the situation continued to change.
Authorities have also set up a hotline for anyone to report missing passengers who may not have been included on the ferry’s passenger manifest.
Mohammad said Monday that rescue teams could no longer locate the ferry at the site where it caught fire.
Marine accidents are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where many people rely on boats for transportation. Poor safety standards and unpredictable weather are among the main causes of such incidents.
Last month, another ferry carrying more than 70 people sank near Selayar, a small island south of Sulawesi. Rescue teams recovered four bodies, but the search ended with 14 people still officially listed as missing.
