THE last missing passenger from the fire-hit MV Lady Mary Joy in Basilan had been recovered, according to the Philippine CoastGiard.
The PCG said that body was found off the waters off Hadji Mohammad Adjul, Basilan.
It was identified as Private First Class Marion Malda, one of the Philippine Army soldiers on board the vessel.
It will be recalled that MV Lady Mary Joy 3 was on it way to Jolo, Sulu from Zamboanga City on March 29.
But it caught fire at 10:40 p.m, before it was declared fire out at 7:30 a.m. on March 30.
The captain, in order to save the passengers, Â brought the vessel to Baluk-Maluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad town.
216 people survived the incident, according to the PCG.
Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh of Hadji Muhtamad town earlier said an inaccurate manifest is making it difficult for authorities to conduct search, rescue, and retrieval operations on the vessel.
The PCG earlier said the fire supposedly started in the accommodation area on the second deck of the vessel.
Catherine R Cueto
