Fire breaks out on ferry with 120 people on board A fire broke out on a ferry during the crossing between two Philippine islands. The fire has since been extinguished. It is still unclear whether any of the 120 people on board were injured.

A Philippine ferry with 65 passengers and 55 crew members on board caught fire at sea. The "Esperanza Star" was at the time on a crossing from Siquijor to Bohol - two Philippine islands.

The coast guard sent a ship to the scene of the accident to rescue the 120 people and extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. Photos and videos released by the coast guard showed flames and thick black smoke on two decks at the stern of the ferry, while the crew of another ship tried to extinguish the fire with water cannons. A fishing boat also rushed to help. The coast guard has since reported that the fire has been extinguished. All people were able to be rescued. It remained unclear whether anyone was injured.

Frequent maritime accidents in the Philippines

On the Philippine archipelago, frequent storms, poorly maintained ships, overcrowding, and poor enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote provinces, lead to frequent maritime accidents.

In March, a fire broke out overnight on a ferry with about 250 people on board. At least 31 people died off the southern island province of Basilan. In December 1987, the ferry "Dona Paz" sank after colliding with an oil tanker. With 4100 deaths, it was one of the worst maritime disasters.