A PASSENGER vessel caught fire and subsequently sank off Bohol yesterday afternoon, leaving one dead and another missing.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) identified the fatality as Adolfo Rañola, 53. It could not immediately say, however, if Rañola is a passenger or a crewmember of the ill-fated Mbca Mama Mary Chloe.
PCG communications officer Joy Gumatay said the vessel caught fire at around 1 p.m. off President Carlos P. Garcia town while enroute to Bato town in Leyte, from Ubay town in Bohol.
Gumatay said 165 people were aboard the boat during the incident, composed of 157 passengers (142 adults and 15 children) and eight crewmembers.
The vessel is allowed to carry as many 236 passengers, according to Gumatay.
Gumatay said 163 passengers were rescued.
“With the help of motor bancas plying the area at the time of the incident, the rescue of the crew and passenger was swift,” said Gumatay.
“One died in the incident and another is the subject of search by our SAR (search and rescue) team… As we speak, one passenger remains missing,” said Gumatay, without naming the missing passenger.
Gumatay said investigators were still determining what caused the fire, adding the search and rescue operation for the missing passenger is being led by personnel of the PCG’s BRP Cabra.
