Five Dead and 87 Missing After Philippine Ferry Fire

At least five people have died and 87 others remain missing after a ferry caught fire off the coast of Palawan province in the Philippines. The vessel, named the MV June Aster, was carrying 134 people when the blaze broke out on Wednesday evening. Emergency personnel have rescued 42 survivors as search and rescue operations continue in the area.

The ferry was traveling on a route from the Baseco port in Manila toward Coron, a coastal municipality in Palawan. Fire broke out while the ship was positioned approximately 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) from the shore of Coron.

According to official passenger and crew manifests provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, the vessel had 117 passengers and 17 crew members on board. Video footage released by maritime authorities showed the ship heavily damaged by flames while emergency teams retrieved casualties from the site.

Rescue operations have successfully brought 42 survivors to safety, comprising 38 passengers and four crew members. Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab confirmed that search efforts remain active, stating that “we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for” and noting that tallies may adjust as operations progress across the surrounding waters.

Background

Ferries serve as a primary mode of transportation across the Philippine archipelago, connecting hundreds of populated islands across the country. Sea transport carries millions of passengers and substantial cargo volumes annually between Manila and island provinces such as Palawan.