Death Toll from Fishing Boat Fire in Philippines Rises to 6 (LD)

The death toll from the fire that broke out on a fishing boat in the central Philippines has risen to six, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Thursday.

In a statement, the PCG said six bodies had been recovered and that six other people survived the accident, Xinhua news agency reported.

Of the six survivors, one is in critical condition due to a third-degree burn.

The boat caught fire around 8:25 p.m. local time on Wednesday in waters, nearly 1.5 nautical miles off the shoreline of Naga City in Cebu province.

The PCG said that 12 people were on the boat, not 11 as reported earlier.

The PCG added it is continuing investigation to determine the cause of the fire.