At least three children among 31 passengers dead after ferry goes up in flames
Dozens of passengers – including a six-month-old baby – have been killed after a tourist ferry set on fire in the Philippines.
At least 23 were injured and rushed to hospital following the blaze on the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 off the southern province of Basilan on Wednesday evening.
Rescuers are still searching for at least seven missing passengers, amid fears there were additional travellers on board not listed in the vessel’s manifest.
Shocking video footage shows the ferry completely engulfed in flames.
Regional governor Jim Hataman described survivors leaping into the sea where they were rescued by the coast guard, another passing vessel and local fishermen.
He said: ‘Some of the passengers were roused from sleep due to the commotion caused by the fire. Some jumped off the ship.’
Several victims drowned and were recovered at sea, while 18 were discovered in a budget section of the passenger cabin, he added.
The ferry, which was enroute to Jolo town in Sulu province from the southern port city of Zamboanga when it caught fire, was towed to Basilan’s shoreline and an investigation is underway.
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, has a poor record for maritime safety.
Sea accidents are common due to frequent storms, badly maintained boats, overcrowding and spotty enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces.
In December 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,300 people in the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.