MANILA: At least six Filipino crewmembers of a fishing boat were killed when an explosion and a fire hit their vessel at sea off a central Philippine province, coast guard officials said Thursday, adding six others were rescued.
Surviving crewmembers, including the skipper of the F/B King Bryan, were still being treated at a hospital or were too traumatized to tell investigators what set off the explosion and fire onboard the vessel Wednesday night about 8 kilometers (5 miles) off Naga city in Cebu province, coast guard officials said.
One of the injured crewmen was in critical condition at a hospital in Cebu, the coast guard said.
Video and pictures issued by the coast guard show flames and smoke billowing from the fishing boat as rescuers scanned the waters in the darkness. Crewmembers with burn injuries are carried to safety by coast guard personnel.
The wooden-hulled boat, which had bamboo outriggers, apparently developed engine trouble before an explosion and a fire engulfed the vessel, injuring crewmembers and forcing others to jump into the sea in panic. A passing tugboat helped put out the blaze and a coast guard search and rescue operation was launched, coast guard officials said.
Sea accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago because of frequent storms, poorly maintained boats, overcrowding and spotty enforcement of safety regulations.
In December 1987, an overcrowded ferry, the Dona Paz, sank after colliding with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,300 people in the world’s worst peacetime sea disaster regarded by some as Asia’s Titanic.
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Philippine fishing boat explosion and fire kill 6 crewmembers while 6 others are rescued
Philippine fishing boat explosion and fire kill 6 crewmembers while 6 others are rescued
- At least six crewmembers of a fishing boat died while six others were rescued
- Sea accidents are common in the Philippines because of frequent storms
Russia’s Lavrov sees no ‘bright future’ for economic ties with US
MOSCOW: Russia remains open for cooperation with the United States but is not hopeful about economic ties despite Washington’s ongoing efforts to end the Ukraine war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Monday.
Speaking to Russia-based media outlet TV BRICS, Lavrov cited what he called the United States’ declared aim of “economic dominance.”
“We also don’t see any bright future in the economic sphere,” Lavrov said.
Russian officials, including envoy Kirill Dmitriev, have previously spoken of the prospects for a major restoration of economic relations with the United States as part of any eventual Ukraine peace settlement.
But although President Donald Trump has also spoken of reviving economic cooperation with Moscow and has hosted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on US soil since returning to the White House, he has imposed further onerous sanctions on Russia’s vital energy sector.
Lavrov also cited Trump’s hostility to the BRICS bloc, which includes Russia, China, India, Brazil and other major developing economies.
“The Americans themselves create artificial obstacles along this path (toward BRICS integration),” he said.
“We are simply forced to seek additional, protected ways to develop our financial, economic, logistical and other projects with the BRICS countries.”
Speaking to Russia-based media outlet TV BRICS, Lavrov cited what he called the United States’ declared aim of “economic dominance.”
“We also don’t see any bright future in the economic sphere,” Lavrov said.
Russian officials, including envoy Kirill Dmitriev, have previously spoken of the prospects for a major restoration of economic relations with the United States as part of any eventual Ukraine peace settlement.
But although President Donald Trump has also spoken of reviving economic cooperation with Moscow and has hosted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on US soil since returning to the White House, he has imposed further onerous sanctions on Russia’s vital energy sector.
Lavrov also cited Trump’s hostility to the BRICS bloc, which includes Russia, China, India, Brazil and other major developing economies.
“The Americans themselves create artificial obstacles along this path (toward BRICS integration),” he said.
“We are simply forced to seek additional, protected ways to develop our financial, economic, logistical and other projects with the BRICS countries.”
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