At least five people have died and 87 remain unaccounted for after a ferry caught fire near a tourist destination in the Philippines’ Palawan province. The fire broke out aboard the M/V June Aster on Wednesday evening. The vessel was around 2.2 kilometres offshore when the blaze erupted, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Five casualties were brought ashore, while rescue teams continued searching for missing passengers and crew members.
Video released by the coast guard showed the ferry completely engulfed in flames.
42 People Rescued From Burning Ferry
Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab said 42 people had been rescued as of Thursday.
“Based on the data we have right now on rescued (42) and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for,” Cayabyab told a local radio station.
She said the vessel’s manifest listed 134 passengers and crew members.
“Just to make it clear, this is live data and may change as our search and rescue operations are ongoing,” she added.
Among those rescued were 38 passengers and four crew members.
However, authorities had not yet obtained detailed information from the survivors. Cayabyab said officials had not been able to speak with them.
Search and Rescue Operation Continues
Efforts to control the fire were still underway as rescue operations continued. Authorities are working to determine the full extent of the incident while searching surrounding waters for those still missing.
The ferry’s passenger manifest has become an important reference for rescue teams. However, officials cautioned that the figures could change as the operation progresses.
Tracking information from MarineTraffic showed that the M/V June Aster had departed from Manila before the incident.
The fire occurred near one of Palawan’s tourist areas, raising concerns about the safety of passengers travelling to destinations in the popular Philippine province.
Search teams are expected to continue operations until authorities account for the remaining passengers and crew.
