UAE expresses solidarity with Philippines, conveys condolences over victims of ferry fire

The UAE expressed its solidarity with the Republic of the Philippines, over a fire aboard a ferry near the Province of Palawan, which resulted in dozens of deaths and missing people.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Republic of the Philippines and its people over this tragedy.

Philippine rescuers raced on Thursday to extinguish a fire that erupted aboard a ferry near a tourist hotspot, killing at least five people and leaving 86 others missing, according to the coast guard.

The blaze broke out on the M/V June Aster on Wednesday evening about 2.2 kilometres off the coast of Palawan province, the coast guard said, adding that five bodies as well as 43 survivors had been brought ashore.

The coast guard has yet to establish the cause of the fire, but said one survivor reported hearing a "loud explosion" from the cargo hold.

"After that there was smoke and fire. As per the testimony of the survivor, it escalated quickly. After seconds, the fire started spreading," coast guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab told reporters Thursday.

WAM / AFP