At least seven dead after blaze on Philippine passenger ferry

Philippine Coast Guard personnel assist rescued passengers after a passenger vessel carrying more than 100 people caught fire near Real, Quezon province, May 23, 2022. Philippine Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS

MANILA (Reuters) - Seven people have died after a high-speed Philippine ferry carrying 134 people caught fire on Monday, with seven passengers still missing, the coast guard said.

The ship caught fire just before reaching the port of Real in Quezon province, about 60 km (37.28 miles) east of the capital Manila. It had left Polilio Island at 5:00 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Sunday) and made a distress call at 6:30 a.m.