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
22 sources checked · Left, Center, and Right included · 2h ago
Different Spin
Five dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
ABC News - International and The Sun (US) describe the same event in different terms.
6 Left12 Center4 Right
DIFFERENT SPIN
HOW EACH SIDE WORDED IT
Left-leaningCenter-leftA blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing
ABC News - InternationalMostly Factual
Right-leaningFive dead and dozens missing after colossal fire engulfs Indonesian ferry while at sea
GB NewsMixed
Center baseline · 
BBC NewsHighFive dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
As of August 2, 2026 at 1:36 PM, 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 "A blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing". The right frames it as "Five dead and dozens missing after colossal fire engulfs Indonesian ferry while at sea".
Match confidence High confidence. 22 sources checked, Left/Center/Right all represented. Best read as a clear framing signal — not a fact-check.
Same-event confidenceHigh
22 sources across Left, Center, and Right all describe the same event.
Framing confidenceStrong
82/99 — headlines create a clearly different first impression.
WHAT EACH SIDE EMPHASIZED
Left / center-leftA blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing
ABC News - International · Center-left · News report
CenterFive dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire
BBC News · Center · News report
Right / center-rightFive dead and dozens missing after colossal fire engulfs Indonesian ferry while at sea
GB News · Right · News report
SEE THE HEADLINES
Open source
Center-leftMostly Factual
ABC News - InternationalNews report · Aug 2, 1:36 PM
A blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing
An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people has caught fire in waters off Madura island, killing at least five people and leaving 41 others unaccounted for, authorities said
Center-leftMostly Factual
The HinduNews report · Aug 2, 1:08 PM
Five dead, 41 missing in Indonesia ferry fire
A total of 225 people on the vessel were rescued, says regional Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency
RightMixed
GB NewsNews report · Aug 2, 1:05 PM
Five dead and dozens missing after colossal fire engulfs Indonesian ferry while at sea
A passenger ferry travelling across Indonesian waters has caught fire off the coast of Madura Island today, resulting in five confirmed fatalities with dozens more unaccounted for. The Muti...
CenterHigh
CBS News WorldNews report · Aug 2, 1:00 PM
5 killed, dozens missing after blaze breaks out on Indonesia ferry
The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry was traveling from Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya in East Java to the city of Makassar in South Sulawesi.
CenterMostly Factual
Al Jazeera EnglishNews report · Aug 2, 12:33 PM
At least five dead, 41 missing after ferry catches fire off Indonesia
The ship was carrying 271 passengers and crew members when the blaze broke out as it sailed eastwards from Java.
Show all 22 sources
CenterHigh
The Belfast TelegraphNews report · Aug 2, 12:25 PM
Blaze on Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least five dead
CenterMostly Factual
Manila BulletinNews report · Aug 2, 11:56 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...
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
The IndependentNews report · Aug 2, 11:50 AM
A blaze on an Indonesian passenger ferry leaves at least 5 dead and dozens missing
An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people has caught fire in waters off Madura island, killing at least five people and leaving 41 others unaccounted for, authorities said
CenterMostly Factual
Washington's Top News (WTOP)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…
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.
CenterHigh
SBS News (Australia)News report · Aug 2, 11:03 AM
Five dead, 41 missing in Indonesia ferry fire
Indonesia has had a second ferry accident in two months after a passenger vessel on the Makassar city in South Sulawesi caught fire on Sunday, killing five.
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.
Details82/99 Wording Gap · High confidence · 22 sources
82/99 Wording GapHigh confidence22 sources · 3 bias bucketsStable · 22 sources · all three buckets · comparable news formatFormats: News report
SOURCE MAP CHANGES
Aug 2, 10:05 AM: Sky News joined the source map.
Aug 2, 10:09 AM: ABC News Australia Top Stories joined the source map.
Aug 2, 10:22 AM: NDTV joined the source map.
Aug 2, 10:38 AM: The Sun joined the source map.
Now: Wording Gap is 82/99 and story health is stable · 22 sources · all three buckets · comparable news format.