The program is to resume firefighting efforts, archetypal from the cargo clasp of the ferry, which is the compartment wherever containers and oregon goods are stored, Cayabyab said.
Earlier, the coastguard said preliminary interviews with the survivors suggest that was wherever the occurrence started. Some passengers were not wearing beingness vests, they noted.
A subsister who was hauled to information connected a rescue vessel had described the frantic cries connected committee the passenger-cargo vas erstwhile the occurrence erupted connected Wednesday evening.
Roland Lerma recalled falling portion scrambling to get disconnected the burning boat.
"When I was connected the floor, radical were trampling me," the 30-year-old told the BBC.
He started crawling until helium could find his footing again, earlier leaping disconnected the vas into the sea. Lerma said helium saw children who had besides jumped successful the water, though helium could not marque retired their faces successful the dark.
"It was acold [in the sea] If the rescue had been delayed, I would decidedly person died," helium said.
The ferry, which acceptable disconnected from Manila, was nearing its destination astatine the tourer hotspot of Coron, successful the state of Palawan, erstwhile it caught fire.
The Philippines' maritime authorization is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The ferry, built successful 2002, held valid information certificates and passed an enforcement inspection successful March, but investigators are looking into imaginable manifest discrepancies, cargo loading integrity, and unit exigency effect protocols, the Palawan Daily reported.
Atienza Interisland Ferries, the vessel's operator, has pledged afloat practice with the inquiry.
"Our hearts stay with the affected families, and we volition not remainder until each individuals are accounted for," the institution said successful a connection connected Thursday.
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