USA TODAY – About 250 passengers and crew were aboard the boat Wednesday night when the blaze broke in the sea off Baluk-Baluk Island, said Gov. Jim Hataman of the southern island province of Basilan. Rescuers were still searching Thursday for at least seven missing people, he said. Many of the more than 200 people who survived the fire jumped off the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 and were rescued from the dark sea by the coast guard, navy, a nearby ferry and local fishermen. The Provincial Government of Basilan extended financial assistance to passengers aboard the vessel, according to a government Facebook post.
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