ZAMBOANGA CITY, March 30 -- Twenty-eight people died and over 200 people were rescued after a commercial vessel caught fire Wednesday night near the waters off Hadji Muhtamad town in Basilan province.

The fire broke out around 11:30 p.m. while the vessel, M/V Lady Mary Joy 3, was nearing Baluk-Baluk Island of the municipality sailing to Jolo, Sulu, from this city.

Nickson Alonzo, Basilan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief, said that 18 charred bodies were recovered Thursday afternoon by firemen who managed to enter the upper deck of M/V Lady Mary Joy 3.

The remains of the other 10 fatalities were recovered early Thursday by responding personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NF...