At least 12 people have died and around 228 were rescued after a passenger ferry caught fire in the seas off the southern Philippine province of Basilan on Wednesday night.
According to a coastguard official and rescue workers, nine other people were injured in the fire that started in air-conditioned cabins.
Commodore Rejard Marfe, coastguard chief in southern Mindanao also confirmed the matter to media.
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, reports Al Jazeera.
The MV Lady Mary Joy 3 was travelling from Zamboanga City on Mindanao Island to Jolo Island in Sulu province when the fire broke, prompting passengers to jump overboard.
Basilan Governor Jim Salliman said there could be more people missing because the number of passengers on the vessel exceeded the 205 listed in the ship’s manifest.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
