Ferry fire off Palawan leaves five dead and dozens missing

On Wednesday night, a passenger ferry named MV June Aster caught fire in the waters off Coron, Palawan, in the western Philippines. The vessel, which departed from Baseco in Manila, was carrying a total of 134 people according to the manifest, consisting of 117 passengers and 17 crew members.

The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that five people died in the incident, while 43 individuals were rescued. Authorities initially reported more than 80 people missing, but later revised this figure to 84 after verifying that two individuals listed on the manifest had not boarded the vessel. Survivors described how a small amount of smoke rapidly escalated into a raging inferno, forcing many to jump into the sea.

Rescue operations were initially hampered by thick smoke, extreme heat, and risks of explosions, preventing responders from boarding the ship for over a day. Using drift-modelling tools and aerial surveillance, coast guard teams searched the area for survivors. By Friday, firefighters successfully boarded the vessel to continue the search and assessment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation as recovery efforts continue.