23 passengers still missing due to ferry fire incident in Basilan

Search operations continue off an island in Basilan and nearby areas as 23 passengers of the ill-fated M/V Mary Joy 3 remain missing, officials said Tuesday.

Nixon Alonzo, Basilan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief, said they managed to determine that there are still missing pas- sengers in coordination with the PDRRMO-Sulu and families of the victims.

Alonzo said the youngest among the missing passengers is a 4-year-old girl and the oldest is a 76-year-old woman.

Two of the missing passengers are soldiers: Staff Sgt. Andrew Cerbatos and Pfc. Marion Malda of the Sulu-based 11th In- fantry Division of the Philippine Army.

Ensign Tenessey Charl Rojas, Zamboanga Coast Guard Station deputy commander, said search is ongoing around Baluk-Baluk Island and nearby areas of Hadji Muhtamad town in Basilan province.

M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 caught