Philippine ferry fire kills at least 5, over 80 missing as rescue efforts continue

In the waters of the Philippine archipelago, where ferries have long been the lifelines connecting island communities, a fire aboard a passenger vessel has claimed at least five lives and left more than eighty souls unaccounted for. Forty hours after the blaze began, rescue teams finally boarded the charred hull, only to find smoke still rising and answers still elusive. It is a reminder that the sea, which binds these islands together, can also become the setting for sudden and devastating loss.