Tragic scenes of death in burned Filipino ferry move rescuers to tears

A Philippine coast guard commander said Friday that tragic scenes of death his team saw aboard a gutted ferry, including adults clutching children, had moved m to tears and sparked fears or passengers could be found dead in still-smoldering ship.

At least 29 of more than 250 people onboard M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 were killed in blaze that rd through ferry Wednesday night while it was on an overnight trip from sourn port city of Zamboanga to Jolo town in Sulu province. At least seven passengers, including two army soldiers, remained missing in country's deadliest sea disaster this year, coast guard said.

Basilan Goverr Jim Hataman initially reported 31 deaths Thursday but later reduced toll to 29 after search and rescue groups crossed-checked ir figures.

All 35 crew members survived, including captain, who issued an abandon-ship order when fire hit close to midnight, n ran ferry aground on an island off Basilan province to give remaining passengers a better chance to survive, coast guard officials said.

Many passengers jumped into sea in panic without life jackets and were saved by rescuers but at least 11 drowned. When a team of coast guard personnel, including Bureau of Fire officers, boarded burned ferry on Baluk-baluk island's coast, y discovered bodies of 18 passengers scattered on uppermost open-air ecomy deck and ar floor below, coast guard Commander Chadley Salahuddin said.

passengers, including an adult clutching a child by railing, could have easily jumped into sea and survived like many ors but failed to do so for unclear reasons. Two passengers, apparently siblings who were among missing, were found holding each or in a bathroom, he said.

“When I first saw that scene, I was moved to tears with some of my men,” Salahuddin said. “It was a short journey. Why did so many have to die?”

“What if my mor or my or loved ones were ones who were trapped here? y were just a step away from open sides but why did y t jump off like ors?” Salahuddin asked.

passengers, some of m charred beyond recognition, could have been overcome by smoke and passed out or could have sustained injuries. Some survivors said y heard a series of firecracker-like blasts during fire but Salahuddin said all of those details could only be assessed by investigators.

He feared more bodies could be found in lower enclosed decks, which remained dangerously hot and could t be inspected on Thursday by his team.

His team found a partly burned rifle, which may have been left by a police officer who was among passengers who survived, Salahuddin said, adding that re was sign of a bomb explosion at least in upper decks that y mand to inspect.

steel-hulled ferry could accommodate up to 430 people and was t overcrowded, said ar coast guard official, Commodore Rejard Marfe.

According to manifest, it was carrying 205 passengers and a 35-member crew, Marfe said. In addition, it had a security contingent consisting of four coast guard marshals, who all survived, and eight soldiers.

Threats posed by Muslim insurgents, including those aligned with Islamic State group, remain a security issue in sourn Philippines, where cargo and passenger ships are provided extra security by coast guard and or law enforcement ncies in vulnerable regions.

Marfe said officials are investigating wher 33-year-old ferry was seaworthy if re were passengers t listed on manifest, and wher crew properly guided passengers to safety.

Sea accidents are common in Philippines because of frequent storms, badly maintained vessels, overcrowding and spotty enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces.

In December 1987, ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,300 people in world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster.