At least seven people died and more than 120 were rescued this Monday in the Philippinesafter a ferry caught fire, forcing passengers to jump overboard, the coast guard and witnesses said.
The fire on the ‘Mercraft 2’ ferry, which made the journey from Isla Polillo to Real, on the main island of Luzon.
Seven people were killed and 127 were rescued, said Commodore Armando Balilo, a spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, after the last missing person was found.
The ship had 134 passengers and crew on board.
“We heard an explosion,” said Kycel Pineda, 18, who was traveling on another ferry. “When we saw the ship, it was already on fire and the passengers were floating in the seaadded this student.
(You can read: Philippines: son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos wins the presidential elections).
INCIDENT REPORT: The @coastguardph responded to a maritime incident involving MV MERCRAFT 2, a fast craft vessel that reported fire onboard in the vicinity waters off Real, Quezon today, 23 May 2022. pic.twitter.com/FItWkxtNdR
— Philippine Coast Guard (@coastguardph) May 23, 2022
A thick black column rose from the burning ‘Mercraft 2’, according to photos released by the coast guard. People in life jackets were in the water. Some were rescued by other ferries or boarded inflatable boats.
The fire would have started in the engine room, Balilo said. A total of 22 people were injured, including the captain of the ferry, according to the Coast Guard.
The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands. Their ships often do not comply with the regulations in force and exceed their maximum transport capacity, so accidents are frequent.
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