<span style="color: #222222;">A ferry carrying about 250 passengers and crew caught fire in the southern Philippines and 31 people drowned or died in the blaze and were discovered later. <br />''<br />'' A  provincial Governor Jim Hataman of the southern island of Basilan said that many of those rescued had jumped off the 'MV Lady Mary Joy 3' in panic at the height of the fire and were plucked from the sea by the coast guard.<br />''<br />''The search and rescue effort was continuing  for at least seven missing passengers.     </span><br />