Ship catches fire off Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY — More than 200 people on board a passenger ship that went ablaze off Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte were safely rescued yesterday, the Coast Guard said.

Rescue vessels rushed to the aid of the 10,709-ton Princess of the World of Sulpicio Lines which caught fire at about 12:30 p.m. yesterday off Dulungin Point as it was heading toward this port city, about 31 kilometers away.

"All the passengers and crew members have been rescued," said Commodore Alejandro Flora, Coast Guard district commander.

The vessel was arriving from the central island of Iloilo when it caught fire, the Coast Guard said.

The vessel was carrying 109 crew members, 108 passengers and five anti-terrorist sea marshals, it added.

Commodore Rufino Lopez, Navy chief in the South, said US troops stationed in the military’s Southern Command helped in the rescue effort.

"The Americans helped and they deployed speedboats, while the Philippine Air Force deployed two helicopters," Lopez said.

The ferry caught fire due to still unknown reasons, the Coast Guard said. — With AFP