Death scene in burned Filipino ferry moves rescuers to tears

In this handout photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), PCG personnel walk beside the MV Lady Mary Joy that caught fire in Basilan, southern Philippines early Thursday, March 30, 2023. More than a dozen people died while other were reported missing after an inter-island cargo and passenger ferry with about 200 passengers and crew onboard caught fire close to midnight in the southern Philippines, a provincial governor said Thursday. - AP

MANILA, April 1 (AP): A Philippine coast guard commander said on Friday night that the tragic scenes of death his team saw aboard a gutted ferry, including adults clutching children, had moved them to tears and sparked fears other passengers could be found dead in the still-smoldering ship.

At least 29 of more than 250 people onboard the M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 were killed in the blaze that raged through the ferry Wednesday night while it was on an overnight trip from the southern port city of Zamboanga to Jolo town in Sulu province.