Ferry fire: Recovered body part belongs to missing soldier

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The body part found floating off Basilan on Sunday belongs to a soldier who was reported missing when the ferry M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 caught fire on March 29, the Basilan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported yesterday.

The lower extremity was identified to be that of Pfc. Marion Malda, PDRRMO chief Nixon Alonzo said.

He said the identity of the victim has been confirmed through secondary identification by his brother through the denim jeans on the body part.

Alonzo said the identification brought the number of confirmed fatalities due to the ferry fire to 33.

He said two other passengers remain missing.

Search and rescue operations in the waters off Basilan are ongoing.