Five dead, 41 missing after Indonesian ferry catches fire

At least five people have been killed and 41 remain missing after a ferry caught fire off Indonesia's Madura Island, prompting a major search and rescue operation.

Indonesia's search and rescue agency said 225 of the 271 passengers and crew on board have been rescued, while efforts to locate those still missing are continuing.

The ferry caught fire on Sunday morning while travelling from Surabaya in East Java to the city of Makassar in South Sulawesi. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the blaze.

Madura Island lies off the northeastern coast of Java, one of Indonesia's busiest maritime regions, where ferries are a vital link between islands.