Around 200 passengers, crew rescued
TWENTY-NINE passengers, including children, have died and about 200 other passengers and crew members were rescued after a passenger vessel caught fire off Hadji Muhtamad town in Basilan on Wednesday night.
The fire was put out at around 7:30 a.m. yesterday.
Eleven of the fatalities, including three children, drowned after they jumped into the water, without life jackets, while the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 was on fire, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said.
An investigation team from the Coast Guard in Manila has been sent to Basilan.
Commodore Rejard Marfe, commander of the Coast Guard District Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the other 18, including three more children, were found burned inside the ill-fated vessel.
Marfe said the boat was en route to Jolo town in Sulu from Zamboanga City when it caught fire at around 10:40 p.m. at the vicinity of Baluk-Baluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad town. The captain then grounded the vessel near the island so the passengers can swim to the island and make the job easier for search and rescue workers.
Marfe, citing information from the survivors, said the fire started at the air-conditioned cabin on the vessel’s “lower deck.”
“It happened so fast and people panicked,” he said.
In a statement, the PCG headquarters in Manila said the vessel was carrying 189 passengers. Twenty-nine died while 160 were rescued. Also on board were 36 crew members, all of them were rescued.
Based on the PCG statement, 196 passengers and crew members were rescued. But Marfe said there 230 passengers and crew members were rescued.
Marfe said nine of the rescued passengers were injured but have been treated.
Marfe said vessels, including from the PCG, responded to assist the victims after the fire.
Personnel from the vessels also recovered 10 of the fatalities on the water.
He said the fire was put out at around 7:30 am yesterday.
“This (Thursday) afternoon, our teams from Coast Guard Basilan and Bureau of Fire (Protection) unfortunately found 18 more cadavers inside the burnt vessel,” he said.
Marfe said the vessel’s captain has been cooperative with PCG personnel during initial questioning.
NOT OVERLOADED
Marfe said the vessel, owned and operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, was not overloaded “because it’s (allowed) capacity is 430.”
On a possible arson angle, Marfe said, “As of now we don’t want to to speculate. However, that will be looked into by our investigating team. All possible angles will be looked into.”
On whether the operation of Aleson Shipping Lines will be suspended pending the probe, he said, “That will be up to the investigating team.
Marfe also said the incident did not cause any oil spill.
Sen. Grace Poe said the recent sea mishaps – the sinking of MT Princess Empress, and passenger vessel M/V Mary Joy 3 catching fire while sailing to Basilan on Thursday night — simply show the many problems of the country’s transportation system.
In a message to media, Poe, chair of the Committee on Public Services, said another sea tragedy occurred even “before reparations are done on an incident,” this time claiming lives and harming the environment, too.
“Clearly, the safety component in our transportation is sorely lacking,” Poe said.
Poe said that an independent probe body is recommended that will conduct a “thorough and truthful investigations, and provide corresponding recommendations.”
“The body will also ensure the worthiness of our transportation – air, land and sea – to avert accidents,” she said.
“As we push for our bill creating the Philippine Transportation Safety Board, we will continue to keep watch to ensure that the needs of the victims in the recent sea tragedies are addressed and those responsible will be held accountable,” she added. — With Raymond Africa
