20190828 3 dead as Dapitan-bound ferry catches fire
Philippines Aug 28 2019 “Shipboard”
Dead : dead 1 to 4 Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
3 dead as Dapitan-bound ferry catches fire
Updated: 2019–08–28
Three people were killed after a Dapitan-bound passenger vessel caught fire in the wee hours of Wednesday, according to a Mindanao-based Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official.
Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Commodore Gregorio Adel Jr., PCG district commander in Northern Mindanao, said 245 people were rescued from the burning vessel.
“Bale lumabas na 248 po itong nakuha na nila sa nasabing insidente,” Adel said.
Adel said they could not determine yet if there were missing passengers as they have yet to get a copy of the manifest from the shipping company.
“Hindi pa na-mention ng station commander [kung may missing] dahil hindi pa nakukuha sa shipping company yung listahan ng mga pasahero,” he said.
Two of the fatalities were identified as one-year-old Chloe Labisig and 60-year-old Danilo Gomez, according to PCG spokesman Captain Armand Balilo.
Balilo earlier said a total of 137 passengers were on board the ill-fated MV Lite Ferry 16.
The PCG earlier said the fire had started from the engine of the said vessel.
Balilo said the ill-fated ferry caught fire while approximately at 1.5 nautical miles from Pulauan Port.
He added the vessel left Port of Samboan in Santander, Cebu, on Tuesday night.
Adel said authorities were expecting to declare fire-out by noon. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News
Web Source: The Nation