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Four die in Taiwanese ferry blaze

TAIPEI: A ferry boat caught fire and sank off the coast of Taiwan on Sunday, leaving four persons dead and 26 others injured, authorities said. The ferry had been taking about 140 persons from the southern Taiwan town of Tongkang to Hsiao Liuchiu, a small island with coral reefs and rich marine life, the Transport Ministry said in a statement. The engine caught fire several kilometres from Tongkang harbour, the statement said. Four persons drowned, all of them among passengers who jumped into the sea to avoid the heat and smoke in the crowded, sinking boat, it said. Another 26 persons were injured, the statement said. Patrol boats and fishing craft rushed to the area and rescued most of the passengers.

AP

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