MANILA, Philippines — At least five people have died and 86 others are missing after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of the Philippines, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation.
The vessel was carrying passengers and crew when the blaze broke out, forcing people on board to flee the burning ferry and seek safety in the surrounding waters.
Authorities said rescue teams have been deployed to the area as efforts continue to locate those still unaccounted for. Several passengers have reportedly been rescued, while emergency personnel are working to determine the full number of people who were on board at the time of the incident.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, and officials are expected to launch an investigation into what triggered the blaze and whether safety procedures were properly followed.
Ferry accidents and maritime emergencies remain a serious concern in the Philippines, an archipelago where sea transport is widely used to connect communities across its thousands of islands.
Officials have urged relatives of passengers to remain in contact with authorities as search operations continue.
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The death toll could rise as rescuers intensify their efforts to find the missing passengers and crew.
