Five dead and 87 missing in Philippines ferry fire

Five individuals lost their lives and 87 people remain unaccounted for following a ferry fire off the coast of Coron in the western Philippines, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. The fire erupted on the June Aster ferry around 6:45pm local time on Wednesday while the vessel was en route from Manila to Coron. The ferry had departed Manila with a manifest of 117 passengers and 17 crew members, totaling 134 individuals on board.

Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab reported that 42 people were rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members, while five fatalities were also confirmed. As of the latest information, 87 people were still missing. The Coast Guard emphasized that these figures were subject to change as the search and rescue operations continued.

Footage from the Coast Guard showed the June Aster engulfed in flames, with responders attending to survivors and treating casualties. Search and rescue teams from the Coast Guard and other local agencies were dispatched to the area following the incident. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and authorities are actively searching for any individuals still missing from the vessel on Thursday.

The Philippine Coast Guard reiterated their ongoing efforts and appealed for any information from families with relatives aboard the ferry.