JAKARTA, May 20 -- Three people were killed and about 168 others went missing after a ferry caught fire in waters off the East Java province in western Indonesia on Friday evening, rescuers said Saturday.

Ferry Mutiara Sentosa caught fire in waters off the Masalembo of Sumenep district, spokesman of the national search and rescue agency Marsudi told Xinhua by phone.

Several reports said around 110 people have been rescued safely from the ferry, but Marsudi denied them.

"They are wrong, only ten people, three of them dead and the others were rescued safely," he said.

A search and rescue operation for the missing is under way, involving two helicopters, scores of ships and around 200 personnel.