Palawan: At least five people have died, and 87 others remain unaccounted for after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Palawan in the Philippines, near the popular tourist destination of Coron, authorities said.
The fire broke out aboard the M/V June Aster, which was sailing from Manila when it caught fire around 2.2 kilometres offshore. The Philippine Coast Guard said five casualties had been brought ashore as search and rescue operations continued.
Footage released by the coastguard showed large sections of the ferry engulfed in flames as emergency teams worked to contain the blaze. Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab said that 42 people had been rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members. However, she said the number of people still unaccounted for stood at 87 based on the latest available information.
Noemi Cayabyab noted that the figures were still subject to change as rescue teams continued searching the vessel and surrounding waters. Authorities were also working to gather information from those rescued. The ferry’s manifest listed 134 passengers and crew, according to the coastguard.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established, and authorities have not released further details on what may have triggered the blaze. The incident comes with continued concerns over maritime safety in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands where monsoon rains and typhoons can create difficult conditions for sea travel.
Previous ferry disasters have also been linked to factors including poor vessel maintenance, overcrowding and inadequate enforcement of safety regulations. In January, a ferry carrying more than 350 people sank off Baluk-baluk island, leaving at least 18 people dead. Search and rescue operations for those missing from the M/V June Aster remain ongoing.
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