RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Sea transportation safety and security have once again come under scrutiny following a series of ship accidents in recent weeks. Indonesian House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani believes these incidents demonstrate the continued weaknesses in sea transportation safety that the government must address immediately to prevent further loss of life.

This focus emerged after the fire on the KM Mutiara Sentosa II in the waters off Sumenep, Madura, on August 2, 2026. The incident, while the ship was serving the Surabaya-Makassar route, killed five passengers and sparked panic, leading many to jump into the sea to save themselves.

"We extend our deepest condolences to all the victims of the KM Mutiara Sentosa II accident. This incident should serve as a reminder that sea transportation safety in Indonesia remains inadequate," Puan said on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, as quoted on the official DPR RI website.

To date, the joint SAR team continues to search for the missing passengers. Meanwhile, the government is validating passenger data due to discrepancies between the manifest and field data. As of Monday, August 3, 2026, 233 victims have been safely evacuated, while five have been declared deceased.

According to Puan, the KM Mutiara Sentosa II accident adds to the long list of sea transportation incidents that have occurred throughout the year. Previously, the motor sailing ship Nurul Salsa sank in the waters of the Selayar Islands Regency in South Sulawesi on July 15, 2026. During the search operation for the KLM Nurul Salsa, the SAR team found 58 survivors and four fatalities. As of last week, 14 victims were still unaccounted for.

Puan emphasized that the success of the national sea transportation system is not only measured by the smooth operation of services, but also by the ability to ensure passenger safety and security. "This is a shared responsibility for us. The numerous sea transportation accidents since the beginning of the year alone demonstrate that serious problems persist in Indonesia's sea transportation sector," she said.

She hopes the government will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of shipping safety standards, starting from the suitability of the fleet, the completeness of safety equipment, to the operational supervision of ships, so that similar incidents do not recur. ***