A passenger-cargo vessel carrying 132 crew members and passengers caught on fire while traversing the vicinity waters of Panglao, Bohol on Sunday morning, June 18.
MV Esperanza Star (Courtesy of PCG)
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) identified the distressed vessel as MV Esperanza Star.
According to initial information, the Coast Guard District Central Visayas (CGDCV) received a report around 4:30 a.m. that MV Esperanza Star was on fire.
Onboard the vessel were 60 crew members and 72 passengers who have all been accounted for and rescued, said Bohol provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer (PDRRMO) Anthony Damalerio.
The PCG immediately deployed BRP Malamawi (FPB-2403), Coast Guard Sub-Station Tagbilaran, and Coast Guard Special Operations Unit-Tagbilaran to put out the blaze and conduct search and rescue operation.
"All are accounted for. They were brought to the terminal building awaiting negotiations with the shipping company. There were no major casualties among the 72 passengers and 60 crew," Damalerio said in a radio interview with dzBB.
The cause of fire has yet to be determined although Damalerio said that one of the crew members noticed the blaze started outside of the vessel's engine room.
The vessel departed from Port of Lazi in Siquijor en route to Port of Tagbilaran in Bohol when the incident happened.
The vessel was skippered by Captain Desiderio Labiste Jr. It is owned by Kho Shipping Lines based in Cataingan, Masbate.
(Second update)