Two die in Philippines ferry fire

At least two people died when a passenger ferry with 237 people on board caught fire south of Manila, Philippines coastguard officials said today.

Passengers were rescued by passing vessels, but authorities were not certain if all had been saved from the MV Catalyn D, which caught fire off Mindoro island, about 170km (106 miles) south east of Manila, said coastguard spokesman Commander Joseph Coyme.

“Two dead bodies have been brought to the coastguard headquarters,” Mr Coyme said. “Most of the passengers have been rescued but we cannot confirm yet if there are still people missing.”

The two fatalities were a man and a girl.

The ship was en route from Manila to south-western Palawan province with at least 216 passengers and 21 crewmen on board when the fire broke out, prompting passengers to abandon the ferry, Mr Coyme said.

He said several passing ships rescued passengers, and the coastguard was still in the process of matching names of people recovered with those on the manifest.

So far 128 survivors have been counted, while another passing ship which rescued about 100 people has not yet submitted its list, Mr Coyme said.

Tess Delgado, booking officer of the ship’s owner, San Nicholas Lines Inc, said that, apart from passengers, the ship was also loaded with cargo including rice and other commodities.

A group of rescued passengers were on their way to Manila, while another group was being ferried to Palawan’s Coron town, she added.

Other details were not immediately available.