At least five killed, 87 missing after ferry fire in Philippines

A ferry caught fire off the Philippine island province of Palawan, resulting in at least five deaths and 87 people remaining unaccounted for. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the M/V June Aster was carrying 134 people, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members, when the fire broke out at about 6:45 pm on Wednesday.

The ferry was travelling from Manila toward Coron, a popular tourist destination, when the fire occurred in waters roughly 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla in Coron municipality. Coast guard teams, along with local fisherfolk, assisted in the rescue efforts, with 42 people rescued so far, including 38 passengers and four crew members.

The search and rescue operations are ongoing, with officials warning that the figures could change as they continue to establish what happened. The Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, Capt. Noemi Cayabyab, confirmed the current tally of five casualties and 87 unaccounted for, based on the data available.

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