 Ten people were killed and nine injured after a passenger ferry caught fire on March 30 in the seas off the southern Philippine province of Basilan, said the Coast Guard. Local media quoted the Coast Guard in southern Mindanao as saying 230 people were rescued in the fire that started in the air-conditioned cabins. The ferry has a capacity to carry up to 430 people. The Coast Guard said it will assist in an investigation and safety assessment, as well check for any signs of an oil spill. The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, has a poor record for maritime safety, with vessels often overcrowded and many ageing ships still in use. In May, at least seven people died in a fire on a high-speed ferry carrying 134 passengers.