Two killed, more than 100 missing after ferry blast

A POWERFUL explosion ripped through a passenger ferry carrying about 900 people in the Philippines early yesterday, sparking an inferno that left more than 100 people missing.

Two people were known to have died and 12 were injured, officials said. Most of the 744 passengers and the entire crew of 155 survived by jumping into the sea or boarding rescue boats.

But the fate of about 100 passengers remained unknown officials said they might have been picked up by fishing boats, trapped inside the blazing ferry or drowned. Twice, the fire appeared to be out, only to rekindle. Shortly after dawn, more than five hours after the blaze erupted, two loud successive explosions inside the back section of the ferry were followed by billowing black smoke and walls of flame.