A PASSENGER suffered burns while seven others were unscathed when the motorboat they were riding caught fire in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, the Philippine Coast Guard reported.
The Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM) reported the incident happened around 6:06 p.m. Wednesday, August 23, 2023, near the wharf of Margosatubig, Zamboanga el Sur.
The CGDSWM did not release the identify of the injured passenger except to say the victim is a male adult and a resident of Lenok village, Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur.
He was taken to the Margosatubig Rural Health Unit for medical treatment.
Investigation showed the victim and his companions were about to return to Lenok village in Lapuyan coming from Malangas when their motorboat caught fire due to engine trouble.
The motorboat’s engine backfired when they tried to start the engine to sail back to home.
All of the eight people aboard jumped over board and were safely rescued by coast guard personnel stationed in Margosatubig port.(SunStar Zamboanga)