MANILA, Philippines — All passengers and crewmembers of the MV Asia Philippines ferry that caught fire at a Batangas port Friday evening have all finally been accounted for, the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed Saturday afternoon.
"After checking, our joint team has confirmed that the two allegedly missing passengers took the 5pm, not the 3pm vessel trip," the PCG told reporters in a text message announcing that search and rescue operations have concluded.
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PCG spokesperson Armando Ballilo said the PCG's focus now shifts to the cause of the fire, which has still yet to be determined as of press time.
Of the 49 passengers and 38 crew that were listed aboard the vessel, only the two remain missing. Among those on board were three students, one minor, two senior citizens, and three persons with disability.
Only one passenger was injured in the incident, a 43-year-old woman, who has since been brought to the nearest hospital for medical attention due to an injury.
What happened?
The main cause of the fire is still unclear, the PCG said.
Initial reports from the Coast Guard say that the vessel departed from Port of Calapan en route to Batangas Port when it caught fire in the waters of the Batangas Anchorage area.
The PCG also added that based on the joint team's assessment, there were no traces of an oil spill or an oil sheen found within the vicinity waters of the MV Asia.
Per the joint team's initial investigation, the Coast Guard said, 90% of the third deck and 80 percent of the second deck were consumed by fire. It was also reported that the ship tilted as a result of the incident.
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, is plagued by poor sea transport, with its badly regulated boats prone to overcrowding and accidents.
— with a report from Agence France-Presse