3 Dead, 60 Others Rescued in Philippine Ferry Fire

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: August 21, 2011 at 4:24 AM ET

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Coast guard officials say an inter-island ferry has caught fire in the central Philippines, killing three people. More than 60 others have been rescued.
Coast guard chief Admiral Ramon Liwag says the M/V Island Fastcraft 1, which was carrying more than 70 passengers and crew, caught fire around noon Sunday as it cruised toward Cebu province from Tubigon town in Bohol province.
Liwag says two passengers and a crewman were killed but it was not immediately clear how they died. The ferry caught fire during heavy rain.
He says the coast guard and other ships helped rescue passengers from the ferry. Coast guard personnel are still determining whether anyone is missing from the stricken vessel.