RRI.Co.ID, Surabaya – Indonesia's Minister of Transportation, Dudy Purwagandhi, inspected the evacuation of passengers from the MV Mutiara Sentosa II, which caught fire in the waters north of Sumenep Regency, East Java's Madura Island, on Sunday, August 2, 2026. From the Port of Kalianget in the regency, he ensured that the evacuation process went smoothly.

"We express our deepest condolences for this tragedy. We ensure that the evacuation process is carried out optimally and smoothly so that all passengers and crew can be found and receive further treatment from officers," Dudy said as quoted from the ministry's website on Monday, August 3, 2026.

The evacuation of passengers and crew, led by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), is still ongoing as of Monday. All recovered victims are planned to be evacuated and taken to Surabaya for further treatment.

The ministry said Minister Dudy continues to monitor the progress of the fire response, coordinating intensively with related institutions and all elements involved in the rescue operation. He confirmed that all necessary resources have been deployed to support the evacuation, search, rescue, and treatment of victims.

Dudy also met with the Regent of Sumenep, Achmad Fauzi Wongsojudo, to strengthen coordination in handling victims. He expressed his gratitude to Achmad and the regency's leadership forum for their swift action from the outset of the incident, mobilizing all available resources to support the rescue operation and handling of the victims.

Dudy expressed his appreciation to all regional heads in the Madura region who demonstrated a swift and solid response in the emergency. He also appreciated the owners and operators of the rescue vessels who assisted in the rescue.

"I appreciate the proactive steps taken by the Regents of Sumenep, Bangkalan, Sampang, and Pamekasan, who have prepared personnel, health facilities, and teams in their respective waters to assist passengers who may have been swept away by the current. This kind of inter-regional synergy is crucial in expediting rescue efforts and providing a sense of security to the public," Dudy said.

Later, Dudy left for Surabaya, East Java's capital, to conduct further monitoring through an integrated post at Tanjung Perak Port. As part of the integrated post-incident handling, the ministry said it has prepared a post at the port's Gapura Surya Nusantara (GSN) Passenger Terminal.

The post serves as a coordination center for all involved parties and as a service point for evacuated victims, providing support for the recovery process, initial medical treatment, re-registration, and the dissemination of official information to their families. Minister of Transportation finally said that an investigation would be carried out immediately to determine the cause of the ship fire.

"The integrated post at the Tanjung Perak GSN Terminal is ready to operate as a service center for passengers and the families of the affected victims. We will also continue to provide regular updates on the handling of the incident once all data has been verified," Dudy said.