CenterHigh
BBC NewsNews report · Aug 2, 11:49 AM
Five dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
The vessel with at least 250 people on board caught fire off Madura island.
← Today's headlines
16 sources checked · Left, Center, and Right included · 21m ago
Different Spin
Five dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
NDTV and The Sun (US) describe the same event in different terms.
4 Left9 Center3 Right
DIFFERENT SPIN
HOW EACH SIDE WORDED IT
Left-leaningCenter-leftBlaze engulfs Indonesian passenger ferry, leaving 5 dead and dozens missing
Stuff (New Zealand)Mostly Factual
Right-leaningFive dead and 41 missing after ferry catches fire sparking huge search and rescue mission for 250 stranded passengers
The SunMixed
Center baseline · 
BBC NewsHighFive dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
As of August 2, 2026 at 11:50 AM, this is how Optics News reads the wording differences in this story.
What happened The vessel with at least 250 people on board caught fire off Madura island.
The headline split The left frames it as "Blaze engulfs Indonesian passenger ferry, leaving 5 dead and dozens missing". The right frames it as "Five dead and 41 missing after ferry catches fire sparking huge search and rescue mission...".
Match confidence High confidence. 16 sources checked, Left/Center/Right all represented. Best read as a clear framing signal — not a fact-check.
Same-event confidenceHigh
16 sources across Left, Center, and Right all describe the same event.
Framing confidenceModerate
66/99 — meaningful wording shift across the spectrum.
WHAT EACH SIDE EMPHASIZED
Left / center-leftBlaze engulfs Indonesian passenger ferry, leaving 5 dead and dozens missing
Stuff (New Zealand) · Center-left · News report
CenterFive dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
BBC News · Center · News report
Right / center-rightFive dead and 41 missing after ferry catches fire sparking huge search and rescue mission for 250 stranded passengers
The Sun · Right · News report
SEE THE HEADLINES
Open source
CenterHigh
WPLG Local 10 (Berkshire/Graham, Miami)News report · Aug 2, 11:50 AM
A blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing
SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people caught fire in waters off the main island of Java on Sunday, leaving at least five people dead and dozens missing as rescu...
Center-leftMostly Factual
Stuff (New Zealand)News report · Aug 2, 11:48 AM
Blaze engulfs Indonesian passenger ferry, leaving 5 dead and dozens missing
An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people caught fire in waters off the main island of Java on Sunday, leaving at least five people dead and dozens missing.
CenterMostly Factual
South China Morning PostNews report · Aug 2, 11:23 AM
5 dead in Indonesia ferry fire, 41 missing
An Indonesian ferry caught fire at sea on Sunday, killing five people and leaving another 41 missing after some jumped overboard, search and rescue officials said. A total of 225 people on...
CenterMostly Factual
EuronewsNews report · Aug 2, 11:23 AM
At least five dead and 41 missing after an Indonesian ferry caught fire at sea
A total of 225 people on the ferry were rescued, while some passengers jumped into the sea to escape the fire, according to Basarnas, Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency.
Center-leftMostly Factual
The Journal (Ireland)News report · Aug 2, 11:07 AM
Five dead and 41 missing after Indonesian ferry catches fire
Some passengers jumped into the sea and were picked up by a nearby ship.
Show all 16 sources
Center-leftMixed
The Mirror UKNews report · Aug 2, 11:01 AM
Five dead and dozens missing after horror inferno on ferry carrying 285 people
A major search and rescue operation is underway with five people dead and 41 more are missing after a ferry caught fire in the sea off Indonesia
CenterMostly Factual
CNA SingaporeNews report · Aug 2, 10:56 AM
Five dead, 41 missing in Indonesia ferry fire
A total of 225 people on the vessel were rescued, said the regional Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency, which provided the latest figures in an afternoon update.
RightMixed
The SunNews report · Aug 2, 10:38 AM
Five dead and 41 missing after ferry catches fire sparking huge search and rescue mission for 250 stranded passengers
FIVE people are dead and another 41 remain missing after a ferry carrying hundreds went up in flames off the coast of Indonesia. A frantic search and rescue operation is underway with crews...
RightMixed
The Sun (US)News report · Aug 2, 10:38 AM
Five dead and 41 missing after ferry catches fire sparking huge search and rescue mission for 250 stranded passengers
FIVE people are dead and another 41 remain missing after a ferry carrying hundreds went up in flames off the coast of Indonesia. A frantic search and rescue operation is underway with crews...
Center-leftMostly Factual
NDTVNews report · Aug 2, 10:22 AM
5 Dead, 41 Missing After Ferry Carrying 271 Catches Fire In Indonesia
At least five people were killed and 41 remain missing after a ferry carrying 271 passengers and crew caught fire off Indonesia's Madura Island on Sunday, authorities said.
CenterHigh
ABC News Australia Top StoriesNews report · Aug 2, 10:09 AM
Five dead, 41 missing after Indonesian ferry catches fire
Five people have been found dead and 41 are missing after an Indonesian ferry with 271 people on board caught fire while at sea, search and rescue officials say.
Center-rightHigh
Sky NewsNews report · Aug 2, 10:05 AM
At least five dead and dozens missing after Indonesian ferry catches fire
At least five people have died and 41 are missing after a ferry caught fire off the coast of an Indonesian island, officials have said.
CenterHigh
The Indian ExpressNews report · Aug 2, 9:58 AM
Scramble for life as ferry carrying 271 catches fire off Indonesia, 5 dead
CenterHigh
The Times of IndiaNews report · Aug 2, 9:34 AM
5 dead, 41 missing after ferry with 271 onboard catches fire off Indonesia
CenterHigh
India TodayNews report · Aug 2, 9:34 AM
5 killed, 41 missing after ferry catches fire in Indonesia
killed missing after ferry catches fire in Indonesia
Details66/99 Wording Gap · High confidence · 16 sources
66/99 Wording GapHigh confidence16 sources · 3 bias bucketsStable · 16 sources · all three buckets · comparable news formatFormats: News report
SOURCE MAP CHANGES
Aug 2, 9:34 AM: India Today joined the source map.
Aug 2, 9:34 AM: The Times of India joined the source map.
Aug 2, 9:58 AM: The Indian Express joined the source map.
Aug 2, 10:05 AM: Sky News joined the source map.
Now: Wording Gap is 66/99 and story health is stable · 16 sources · all three buckets · comparable news format.