7 killed after fire engulfs Philippine ferry

At least seven people were killed and scores plucked to safety in the Philippines after a fire ripped through a ferry and forced passengers to jump overboard, the coast guard and witnesses said. The blaze broke out on the 'Mercraft 2' at around 6:30 am as it carried 134 passengers and crew from Polillo Island to Real in Quezon province on the main island of Luzon. Seven people died and 127 were rescued, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Armando Balilo said after the last missing were found. The fibreglass fast craft boat, which had a 186-person capacity, was about a kilometre from Real when it caught fire. 'We heard an explosion'', said Kycel Pineda, 18, who was travelling on another ferry.

'When we saw the boat, it was already engulfed by fire and passengers were already floating in the sea'', the high school student added. — AFP