This file handout photo taken and released by the Philippine Coastguard on May 23, 2022 shows people throwing buckets of water onto a smouldering ferry that had caught fire near Real town, Quezon province, the Philippines. A ferry carrying more than 200 people caught fire in southern Philippines on March 29, 2023, killing at least 10 passengers, a local official said on March 30, 2023.
A ferry carrying more than 200 people caught fire late Wednesday night in southern Philippines, killing at least 10 passengers, a local official said on Thursday.
Citing an initial report, Nixon Alonzo, the chief disaster reduction and management office in Basilan province, told a local radio station that seven passengers who jumped into the sea remained missing. At least 195 passengers and 35 crew were rescued.
Rescuers found four bodies on the vessel, while six were brought to the shore, he said.
The passengers died in the water after jumping into the water. Alonzo said that some of them suffered burns.
Alonzo said the ferry M V Lady Mary Joy was headed to Zamboanga City from Jolo when it caught fire in the waters off Baluk-Baluk Island in Hadji Muhammad town of Basilan province past 10 pm local time on Wednesday.
The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed the incident, saying it deployed personnel and its vessel to help in the search and rescue operations, but did not give any details about the casualties.