Last Sunday, the ferry travelling between Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city in East Java province, and the city of Makassar in southern Sulawesi, caught fire whilst en route. According to the Indonesian rescue agency (via Reuters), 233 of the 238 passengers and crew members on board have been rescued and brought to safety, and it has been confirmed that there are at least five fatalities.
We say 'at least' because there are conflicting reports between the relatives of passengers believed to have been on board and the official passenger list for the vessel, which would put the total number of people on board at 271. However, the rescue operation has been declared concluded for the time being, although they also state that they may resume the search if there are reports from relatives indicating that some have not been found.
This type of ferry is the most common form of transport in Indonesia, an archipelago comprising 17,000 islands scattered across two million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean. Despite this, accidents involving these vessels are common, as safety regulations on board are not strictly enforced.