Fire on Philippine ferry kills at least 31, 225 rescued
A fire that swept through a ferry in the Philippines has killed at least 31 people, including several children.
A total of 225 people have reportedly been rescued from the inter-island vessel MV Lady Mary Joy 3, which was sailing off the southern island of Basilan on Wednesday night (29 March 2023) when the fire broke out. Around seven people are still missing.
Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire, which started at around 11pm local time. Many of the passengers were asleep in cabins on the lower deck.
A passenger ferry caught fire past 11 pm on Wednesday, March 29, in the waters off Baluk-Baluk Island, Hadji Mutamad in Basilan. Ten people have died, nine people were injured and 230 have been rescued. đź“· Philippine Coast Guard
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 30, 2023
READ: https://t.co/lJzZvbiDxH pic.twitter.com/RtiKILlLXJ
“I thought I was dreaming, but when I opened my eyes it was dark, and we were surrounded by smoke,” Mina Nani, 46, a passenger on the MV Lady Mary Joy 3, told DZRH radio in the Philippines.
Philippine rescuers continued to search for survivors aboard the burnt-out ferry on Thursday (30 March 2023). The youngest victim has been reported as a six-month-old baby.
Speaking to DZRH, Governor Hadjiman Hataman Salliman confirmed 11 people, including three children, had drowned after jumping off the burning ship, while 18 or more died in the blaze on board.
Speaking to news agency Reuters, Commodore Rejard Marfe, coast guard chief in the Mindanao region, said there had been “chaos” after people awoke from their sleep to find the fire spreading rapidly.
Photographs shared by the coastguard showed the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 ship being sprayed with water, while rescued passengers were brought to the shore.
The Philippines has a poor record for maritime safety. In May 2022, seven people were reported dead, and a further 120 rescued, after a fire ripped through a passenger ferry sailing in Quezon province.
