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A fire broke out aboard a passenger ferry near Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan province in the Philippines. At least five people have died, while more than 80 others are considered missing.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the fire started aboard the MV June Aster late Wednesday night. Rescue teams saved 43 people shortly after the incident.
The vessel’s passenger manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew members. Of those rescued, 38 were passengers and four were crew members. Officials said the number of missing people could change as passenger records are verified.
Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said emergency services were coordinating with the operator and local authorities to find those missing. Volunteers from nearby coastal communities, including fishermen, have also joined the operation alongside various government agencies.
Officials appealed to families with missing relatives to contact the relevant authorities to help compile an accurate list. Investigators are still examining what happened aboard the vessel before the fire, as interviews with survivors have not yet been completed.
The ferry had departed from the Baseco port in Manila and was bound for Coron. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. An investigation has been launched to establish where and under what circumstances the fire started.
Footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed much of the ferry engulfed in flames as rescuers battled the fire. Other images showed rescuers retrieving victims’ bodies and placing them in body bags.
Coron is a tourist destination in Palawan province known for its clear waters, limestone formations and Japanese shipwrecks dating from World War II. The incident has renewed concerns about maritime safety in the Philippines, where ferry transport is widely used to connect the country’s thousands of islands.
