Fishing boat explosion, fire in Philippines kills 6 crew members while 6 others rescued

MANILA, Philippines — At least six crew members of a fishing boat were killed when an explosion and fire struck their vessel at sea nearly 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) off the coast of a province central Philippines, coast guard officials said Thursday, adding that six others had been rescued. .

Surviving crew members, including F/B King Bryan's captain, were still being treated at a hospital or were too traumatized to tell investigators what sparked the explosion and fire aboard the ship Wednesday night at off Naga town in Cebu province, coast guard officials said. said.

One of the injured crew members was in critical condition at a hospital in Cebu, the coast guard said.

The wooden-hulled boat, with bamboo outriggers, apparently had engine problems before an explosion and fire ripped through the vessel, injuring crew members and forcing others to jump overboard in panic. A passing tugboat helped extinguish the fire and a Coast Guard search and rescue operation was launched, Coast Guard officials said.

Accidents at sea are common in the Philippine archipelago due to frequent storms, poorly maintained boats, overcrowding and uneven enforcement of safety rules.

In December 1987, an overcrowded ferry, the Dona Paz, sank after colliding with an oil tanker, killing more than 4,300 people in the world's worst peacetime maritime disaster, considered by some to be the Titanic of Asia.