Fire Breaks Out on Passenger Ship in the Philippines, Including Children Among the Casualties

At least 12 people have died and 14 others have been injured due to a fire that broke out on the 'Lady Mary Joy' vessel near the shores of Basilan Island in southern Philippines. This information was reported by ABS-CBN, citing Basilan Governor Hajiman Saliman.

The fire erupted on the evening of March 29, while there were approximately 200 people onboard the 'Lady Mary Joy.' Governor Saliman has reported that seven individuals are missing, and he specified that among the deceased, there are three children.

According to ABS-CBN, the ship was traveling from the Sulu archipelago to Zamboanga City on Mindanao Island. The causes of the fire are still under investigation, but most passengers were evacuated from the vessel.

Rehard Marfen, the head of the Philippine Coast Guard, referenced eyewitness accounts indicating that the fire might have started from an air-conditioned cabin. He added that environmental protection units have also been dispatched to Basilan to assess any possible oil leaks.

A similar incident occurred in May 2022 near the Real port (Quezon province, Philippines), where a fire broke out on the Mercraft 2 vessel, which had 134 people on board. That incident resulted in at least seven fatalities, with another seven people reported missing, and 23 evacuees suffered injuries. Some individuals, while waiting for assistance, donned life jackets and jumped into the water, where they were subsequently rescued.