Twelve Rescued From Burning Cargo Ship in Manila Bay

On Sunday, a cargo vessel caught fire and burned southwest of Manila, forcing the crew to abandon ship.

The Castphill XV was operating near the entrance to Manila Bay early Sunday when it caught fire. The Philippine Coast Guard responded, and at about 0430, the patrol vessel BRP Boracay rescued seven crewmembers from the water. Only minor injuries were reported, and all seven were delivered safely to shore in Manila for a medical evaluation.

Personnel from the PCG station in Maragondon, Cavite rescued five more survivors at about 0730. All were transferred back to Maragondon for treatment.

The PCG has started an investigation to identify the cause of the fire. Based on PCG photos of the casualty, the vigorous fire and tall plumes of flame coming from the vessel's foredeck suggest she was carrying flammable cargo.

"The PCG also reaffirms its commitment to ensuring maritime safety and responding promptly to emergencies at sea," the agency said.

The freighter Castphill XV is a classic stick-boom coaster. Though it is not a tanker, the vessel appears to be linked to a Manila-based fuel distribution company, Mega Oil.

Castphill XV does not appear in international databases, as is common for coastal vessels in domestic trades in Southeast Asia. A video of her most recent drydocking shows signs of advancing age, including dented plating around her stern.