First bodies of Philippines ferry fire victims land as toll hits 35

The bodies of 35 passengers killed in a ferry fire off the coast of the Philippines arrived at a port near the resort town of Coron, Palawan on Saturday, September 12. The M/V June Aster ran aground near the popular tourist destination after a fire erupted on Wednesday evening and rapidly spread throughout the vessel. Coast guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab informed reporters that the remains would be handed over to police forensic investigators for proper identification before notifying families.

The retrieval operation is now underway, with 30 bodies already transported in a specialized vessel, leaving 5 more on board the damaged ferry. So far, 5 deaths have been confirmed in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, with 54 people still unaccounted for. The fire is believed to have started in the cargo hold and rapidly engulfed the ship within seconds, leaving survivors little time to react.

Rescue efforts have so far saved 30 passengers and 13 crew members. The archipelago nation of over 116 million people has a history of ferry-related disasters, many involving poorly regulated boats and ships transporting people between the country's 7,000 islands. The company owning the M/V June Aster, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc, stated it is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.