In a Facebook post, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) shared a short video of the boat on fire, which showed clouds of smoke rising into the sky as the flames continued to grow.
“The Philippines Coast Guard PCG) responds to a fire incident involving MV ASIA PHILIPPINES (passenger / RoRo vessel) in the vicinity waters one nautical mile off Batangas Anchorage Area at around 05:59 p.m. today, 26 August 2022,” the PCG’s Facebook post said.
Video of the burning vessel was also posted on Twitter by Nexta with a caption that said: “Off the coast of the #Philippines there was a fire on a passenger ship.”
According to the PCG’s Facebook post, the passenger vessel, which later confirmed that 82 people were onboard, left the Calapan Port at around 3 p.m. local time on Friday and was destined to arrive at the Batangas Port at 5:30 p.m. local time.
“Based on the initial investigation, MV ASIA PHILIPPINES had 48 passengers and 34 crew members — a total of 82 individuals — and 16 rolling cargoes onboard,” the Facebook post said. “The authorized passenger capacity of the said vessel is 402.”
Shortly after the PCG received reports that the passenger ship was engulfed in flames, two “floating assets” were sent to execute a search and rescue (SAR) operation. “SAR and firefighting operations are ongoing,” the Facebook post said.
In a Facebook post later on Friday, the PCG said that at around 7:30 p.m. local time, at least 73 individuals “were already rescued.” One of the individuals that was rescued from the ship, a 44-year-old female, was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for an injury, the coast guard added.
Newsweek reached out to the PCG for updated information and further comment.
Other Incidents of Boats on Fire in the Philippines
Two similar incidents occurred earlier this summer prompting SAR operations from the coast guard.
According to the BBC, in June, a passenger ferry called the Mama Mary Chloe, ignited in flames, prompting a similar SAR operation to be performed by coast guard officials.
“The rescue of the crew and passengers was swift because of the help from [boats] sailing in the waters when the incident happened,” the PCG said at the time. According to the BBC, all but two of the passengers were safely rescued, and one was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile in May, at least seven individuals died when a passenger ferry caught fire. Over 100 passengers were safely rescued, the coast guard said in a statement, which was obtained by Reuters.
