Boat catches fire off Tawi-Tawi; 13 rescued

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Thirteen people were rescued after their boat caught fire as they were sailing in the waters off Sapa-Sapa town in Tawi-Tawi on Sunday.

Personnel of the Naval Task Group Tawi-Tawi received a distress call at around 8 a.m. regarding a burning boat spotted between the islands of Mantabuan and Banaran.

The passengers were rescued more than two hours after the fire broke out, according to Lt. JG Chester Cabaltera, public affairs officer of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao.

The passengers said they jumped overboard and swam to a sandbar when the engine of the boat caught fire.

Among those rescued were one-year-old Alagib Tayting and her sister Nursaliha, 2, and Ubayda Marine, 4, and her sister Rosita, 6.

“Everybody was in good physical condition. They were turned over to their relatives in Bongao,” Cabaltera said.