Philippines ferry fire: 5 dead, 87 missing off Coron

Five individuals have perished and 87 others remain missing after a passenger ferry caught fire off Coron, Palawan, the Philippines. The M/V June Aster, carrying 134 people - 117 passengers and 17 crew members - experienced the inferno approximately six and a half miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla in Coron municipality at around 6:45 pm on Wednesday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

The vessel was en route from Manila to Coron when the fire emerged. As of now, 42 individuals have been rescued, with 38 passengers and four crew members among them. Five casualties have been brought ashore, while the remaining 87 people are still unaccounted for. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, with investigators yet to determine the circumstances, including the vessel's condition and maintenance.

A search-and-rescue operation is ongoing, involving Coast Guard vessels, the Bureau of Fire Protection, Coron disaster-response teams, and local authorities. The disaster has struck Coron, a prominent Philippine tourist destination renowned for its beaches, diving sites, shipwrecks, and island-hopping routes.