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A passenger ferry was caught by fire early Friday near Manila Bay, leaving one person dead, 14 others injured and 139 still missing, officials said.
Huge explosion was heard before a Philippine passenger ferry was caught by fire early Friday, survivors said.
Survivors told ABS-CBN TV program that they were waken up by a loud explosion below deck before the fire hit the Superferry 14 around 1:00 am at the mouth of Manila Bay off Corregidor Island.
Coastguard spokesman Armando Balilo said one of the 861 passengers and crew abroad has died, 14 among almost 700 survivors injured.
The ship owner company Aboitiz Transport told TV that the crew had spent nearly two hours to put out the fire before they lowered the life rafts and abandoned ship, which had been in service for three years.
Balilo said the coastguard scout would continue to scour the accident area to rescue the passengers who may have jumped or fell into the sea for life.
"There are reports that Navy pumpboats also rescued some passengers and are transferring them aboard coastguard vessels in the area," he said.
Philippine Navy reportedly also ordered the troops taking part in the Philippine-US join military exercises at the nearby coastal town to assist the rescue efforts.
A total of 68 people died after two passenger ferries collided near the Manila Bay last June.
At least 139 passengers still missing
A total of 737 people, including 62 passengers and 116 crew, have been survived, a coast guard official said.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Arturo Gosingan said rescue teams were still searching for at least 139 missing passengers and the victim's identification was yet available.
Gosingan said a few survivors' testimonies showed the fire originated either from the vessel's circuit wiring or from its air-conditioning system.
The crew had been ordered to extinguish the fire before they lowered the life raft and abandoned the ship, which will be towed to shore, he added.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2004)
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