87 missing as ferry carrying 134 catches fire near Philippines

According to the Philippine Coast Guard, 42 people have been rescued from the vessel so far.

The boat was carrying 134 people on board at the time, having departed the port of capital Manila bound for Coron.

The country’s coastguard has not issued an update in seven hours, but its last message confirmed that search and rescue operations remain ongoing.

Filipino media reports that there were 117 passengers and 17 crew members on the ship before the blaze broke out.

The Philippine Coast Guard has shared a video of the vessel engulfed in flames with other footage showing passengers by rescued from the water by emergency services.

One coastguard captain told a Filipino radio station that dozens of people are still unaccounted for, however, those figures are subject to change.

Captain Noemi Cayabyab said: "Based on the data we have right now on rescued and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for.

"Just to make it clear, this is live data and may change as our search and rescue operations are ongoing."

Ms Cayabyab confirmed that 38 passengers and four crew members were pulled from the water alive.

She added: "However, we have not yet been able to obtain information from the rescued individuals because we have not been able to speak with them."

The 42 rescued survivors have since been taken to an evacuation centre in Barangay Turda.

A spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that they have yet to speak to those rescued from the sea.

"So we will wait, but while we wait, our operations are ongoing," he said.

"We are also coordinating with the shipping company."

The search and rescue efforts are believed to have been hampered by rough weather conditions, with the vessel being pushed further out to sea.

The spokesman said: “The weather [last night] was poor, and the waves in the area were strong.

“Reports from our vessel indicate strong currents in the area. It has been carried further out by the current. These are the challenges our personnel are facing in the search area.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Filipino authorities.