Philippines ferry fire death toll rises to 35 after bodies recovered

Chefe da defesa das Filipinas critica a China por nota entregue a ele no meio de painel.

1. list 2 of 2Several dead, dozens missing after ferry fire in Philippines tourist spot.
2. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights.
3. Philippines ferry fire death toll rises to 35 after bodies recovered | Transport News | Al Jazeera Skip linksSkip to Contentplay Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menu.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard on Friday, 30 bodies were recovered. Earlier, authorities said at least five people had died in the blaze.

Na quarta-feira, o ferry pegou fogo em seu trajeto da capital, Manila, para Palawan. A embarcação estava a bordo de mais de 130 pessoas quando foi engolida pelas chamas.

Fifty-four people are still missing, and there were 43 survivors, authorities said.

Rescuers on Thursday struggled to get inside the vessel because of the heat and smoke, slowing efforts to search for passengers who may have been trapped.

Imagens fornecidas pela Guarda Costeira na sexta‑feira mostraram o interior carbonizado do navio e o que parecia ser restos humanos, cinzas e metal queimado, incluindo um carro.

A porta-voz da Guarda Costeira, Commodoro Noemi Cayabyab, afirmou que os restos queimados foram encontrados nas acomodações econômicas da balsa. Ela acrescentou que os investigadores forenses policiais estão examinando os restos para recuperação e identificação.

Reporting from Manila on Friday, Al Jazeera’s Jamela Alindogan said a steady number of families are asking about their loved ones and messaging the ferry companies for any information.

Ferries are frequently used for transport in the Philippine Archipelago. Sea accidents are not uncommon due to storms, badly maintained vessels, overcrowding and spotty enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces.

According to the manifest, 134 people were on board, 117 of them passengers and 17 crew. The 53-metre (174-foot) vessel had a capacity to carry 306 passengers and 27 crew.

Dois passageiros listados no manifesto informaram às autoridades que não conseguiram embarcar, disse a Guarda Costeira.

It remains unclear what caused the fire, which began as the ferry neared the end of its journey to a popular tourist spot in northern Palawan.

De acordo com uma declaração da Autoridade da Indústria Marítima (MARINA), citando relatos de sobreviventes, foram ouvidas duas explosões sucessivas dentro do navio, desencadeando o incêndio.

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Em números

• A embarcação estava a bordo de mais de 130 pessoas quando foi engolida pelas chamas