Five Dead, More Than 80 Missing After Ferry Fire Off Philippine Coast

A major search-and-rescue operation is underway off the coast of Palawan in the Philippines after a passenger ferry caught fire, killing at least five people and leaving more than 80 others unaccounted for.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the fire broke out aboard the M/V June Aster on Wednesday evening, September 9, as the vessel was sailing toward Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan. The ferry had departed from Baseco Port in Manila.

The vessel was carrying 134 people; 117 passengers and 17 crew members, according to its manifest. The latest reports indicate that 43 people have been rescued, while at least five fatalities have been confirmed. More than 80 people remain unaccounted for, although officials have warned that the figures could change as the operation continues.

Philippine authorities have deployed multiple Coast Guard vessels and other assets to search the surrounding waters for survivors.

Rescuers are also using drift-modelling technology to estimate where people may have been carried by currents and winds after the fire. The operation has been complicated by difficult conditions around the damaged ferry.

The Coast Guard said thick smoke, intense heat and the risk of explosions have made it too dangerous for rescuers to enter the vessel.

The ferry itself was reported to have drifted from its original location after the emergency, making the search more difficult as rescuers attempt to establish the likely areas where passengers may have entered the water.

Local fishermen and private vessels have also joined the rescue effort, helping transport survivors from the sea.

The fire reportedly began at about 6:45 p.m. local time, when the June Aster was around 2.2 kilometres offshore near Coron in Palawan.

Video released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed the ferry engulfed in flames, with large sections of the vessel illuminated by the blaze. Responders subsequently worked to rescue passengers and contain the fire.

The identities of the five people who died had not immediately been released as authorities continued efforts to account for everyone who had been aboard.

Officials have also appealed to relatives of passengers to contact authorities and provide information that could help establish who remains missing.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the fire began in the engine area, cargo hold or another part of the vessel. The Philippine Coast Guard has also said that passenger vessels are subject to inspection and maintenance requirements, while investigations into the June Aster incident are continuing.

There were no immediate reports of an oil spill from the damaged vessel.

The disaster has renewed attention on maritime safety in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands where ferries are an important means of transportation. The country has experienced a number of serious maritime accidents over the years, raising recurring concerns about vessel safety, overcrowding, maintenance and enforcement of regulations.

As the search continues, the main focus remains on finding those still missing and determining whether more survivors can be located.

Coast Guard officials have stressed that the figures are still changing as rescuers receive new information and continue to reconcile the passenger manifest with those rescued and those confirmed dead.

For families waiting for news of relatives aboard the June Aster, the search has become a race against time as rescue teams continue working in waters around Palawan.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is expected to continue alongside the search-and-rescue operation.