MANILA, Dec. 13 -- An inter-island passenger ship caught fire off the coast of a central Philippine province before dawn Wednesday, killing 14 people, including four children, coast guard officials said. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Joel Garcia said the ship, Kim-Melody Cristy, was on its way to the central province of Oriental Mindoro when it caught fire at around 2:30 a.m. near Fortune Island off the coast of Batangas province, 60 miles (90 km) south of Manila.
Garcia said passing ships and several rescue vessels pulled 129 people from the sea, while Navy teams towed the MV Kim-Melody to Manila's North Harbor. The Coast Guard said a total of 143 passengers and crew were listed to be onboard the ship when it left Manila. But authorities fear there could be more passengers who were not listed in the ship's manifesto. President Fidel Ramos ordered an investigation into the accident, which officials said was the third maritime fire incident this year. Crew member Zaldy Valdeviezo claimed the fire broke out when the ship's smokestack overheated, immediately spreading to the engine room and passenger areas. Valdeviezo said many passengers were sleeping when the fire broke out, preventing them from wearing life jackets before jumping off board. Coast Guard officials said most of the casualties drowned in the rough seas.
