All 85 passengers and crew of an inter-island ferry that caught fire near its port destination south of Manila have been safely rescued and a search effort has been terminated, Philippine officials said Saturday.
The last two passengers unaccounted for on the M/V Asia Philippines, which was carrying 47 passengers and 38 crewmembers, turned out to have taken a different ferry. They were earlier believed to be onboard the cargo and passenger vessel that was hit by fire on Friday as it approached the port in Batangas province, coast guard officials said.
