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Nine people are missing after a roll-on, roll-off vessel caught fire as it neared Batangas Port late Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

Commodore Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, told dzBB that the boat was near the port's anchorage area. He did not say if the nine missing persons were passengers or crew members.

''We are looking for nine persons. A woman passenger has been brought to a hospital,'' said Balilo, who added that PCG personnel responded quickly.

He said Starlight Asia Pacific came from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. It was carrying 48 passengers and 34 crew.

''We will conduct an investigation but right now our priority is to recover the missing persons,'' added Balilo. DMS