Ferry fire kills 31in Philippines

A ferry carrying about 250 passengers and crew caught fire in the southern Philippines on Wednesday night.

31 people drowned or died in the blaze and were discovered later, a provincial governor said. Many of those rescued had jumped off the ferry in panic at the height of the fire and were rescued from the sea by the coast guard, navy, another ferry and local fishermen.

The ferry was enroute to Jolo town in Sulu province from the southern port city of Zamboanga when it caught fire midway off the coast of Basilan. The dead included at least three children and at least 23 passengers were injured and brought to hospitals.