Fatal fire engulfs Filipino boat as scores of passengers rush into water to escape

At least 29 people were killed Wednesday night when an inter-island ferry caught fire in the southern Philippines, with many of the 250 passengers jumping overboard to escape the blaze. Emergency workers rescued 160 passengers and 36 crew members, and 35 passengers jumped off the vessel after hearing an explosion. Dramatic videos released by the Basilan provincial government show the ship ablaze as it reaches the shore, while a crowd of residents tries to save survivors from the wreckage. The Philippines has a poor maritime safety record and vessels in the Southeast Asian country are often old and overcrowded. In May last year, at least seven people died when a high-speed ferry carrying 134 people caught fire about 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of the capital Manila. Earlier this month, a tanker carrying 800,000 liters (211,340 gallons) of industrial fuel oil sank in Oriental Mindoro province southwest of Manila, polluting the shores of at least three provinces and threatening the country’s diverse marine life.