A fire broke out in the engine room of the Ro-Ro ferry Maria Felisa while underway in the Surigao Strait in the southern Philippines, leaving three crew members injured and forcing the vessel to stop and be towed to port.
The Maria Felisa departed Port of Benit in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte on 1 February 2026, carrying 92 passengers and 33 crew members en route to Lipata Port, Surigao City, when the fire began in the engine compartment.
According to officials, the blaze originated from elevated temperatures in the lube oil filter, which caused machinery overheating and ignited the fire. The ferry’s crew immediately initiated firefighting procedures, managing to contain the fire and prevent its spread to other parts of the vessel.
Three crew members suffered minor injuries during the fire. Two of them sustained first-degree burns and were transported to hospital. Another one suffered smoke inhalation and was treated on site.
The incident caused the ferry’s main engine to stop in the water approximately 0.85 nautical miles off Bilaa Point, near Surigao City.
Two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) high-speed rescue boats responded to the scene and escorted the disabled ferry, while another vessel – the Ro-Pax ferry Maria Vanessa – took it under tow. The combined operation brought the ferry safely to Lipata Port, where all 92 passengers disembarked without injuries.
