▲ Passengers rescued by fishermen after a ferry fire in the Philippines
A fire broke out on a passenger ferry off the coast of Palawan Island in the Philippines, leaving 5 people dead and 87 missing.
According to AP and Reuters news agencies on September 10, local time, the fire occurred the previous night while the ferry was operating in waters near Coron, in the northern part of western Palawan Island.
The Philippine Coast Guard stated that the accident resulted in 5 deaths, 87 missing persons, and 42 survivors.
Noemi Cayabyab, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, said in an interview with local media, "The manifest recorded 117 passengers and 17 crew members on board," adding, "The number of missing people may change as the search is ongoing."
Among the 42 rescued individuals, 38 were confirmed to be passengers and the remaining 4 were crew members.
Footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed the hull of the ferry completely engulfed in flames.
At the time of the accident, the ferry was heading to Coron after departing from Baseco in the port area of Manila.
Maritime accidents frequently occur in the Philippines, which consists of some 7,000 islands, due to a prevalence of aging vessels and a failure to comply with passenger limit regulations.
In 1987, the ferry Doña Paz sank after colliding with an oil tanker, resulting in an estimated 4,300 deaths and recording it as the worst maritime disaster in history.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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