Philippine authorities confirmed that a boat caught fire in the country, leaving a toll of five dead, 43 rescued and 84 people still missing. Rescue workers still haven't been able to access the interior of the vessel to search for possible survivors.
The accident occurred when the vessel was in transit between the islands of Leyte and Cebu. The flames spread rapidly through the vessel, forcing many passengers to jump into the sea.
Maritime rescue teams have been mobilized to the area, but face difficulties entering the vessel due to the intensity of the fire and the damage caused by the incident.
The number of missing may still increase as rescue operations advance and more information about the passenger list is confirmed by local authorities.
