Search for 2 missing passengers of fire-stricken ship resumes

The search and rescue operation for the two missing passengers of the RORO vessel that caught fire on Friday off the port of Batangas resumed Saturday morning.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo told dzBB Super Radyo that the search and rescue operation is supposed resume Saturday morning.

Balilo said that the two missing people were among the 49 passengers, 47 of them were rescued on Friday.

Also, Balilo said that all 48 crew members of the vessel have been accounted for.

Moreover, he said that all 16 of the vehicles in the cargo area are intact, and that environment officials have not also reported any oil spill incident, so far.

He added that the fire-stricken ship has already been towed to the port of Batangas.

Based on earlier reports, the vessel carrying around 80 people, including 48 crew members, caught fire in waters off the Batangas port at past 5 p.m. on Friday.

The vessel came from Calapan, Mindoro and was about to dock at the Batangas port.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing, Balilo said. —LBG, GMA News