8 hurt after Batangas-bound boat catches fire

SAN PEDRO CITY—Eight passengers of a Batangas-bound ferry were hurt after the sea vessel caught fire late Thursday, reports on Friday said.

The injured passengers were brought to the United Doctors of Saint Camillus De Lellis Hospital in Batangas while the rest of the 88 passengers and 26 crew members of MV Rina Hosanna were taken to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station in Batangas City.

According to a report from the PCG public affairs office, the ferry had come from the port of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro when it caught fire around 11:30 p.m. as it was in the vicinity of Matoco Point in Batangas. Authorities have yet to determine what caused the fire.

MV Rina Hosanna was towed towards Batangas by MV Reina de Luna, another vessel owned by the Montenegro Shipping Lines.

The report said the fire was put out around 7 a.m. Friday. RAM/rga