At least five people have died and 87 remain unaccounted for after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Palawan in the Philippines.
The MV June Aster was carrying 134 people — 117 passengers and 17 crew members — when the blaze erupted on Wednesday evening as the vessel travelled from Manila towards Coron, a popular tourist destination known for its beaches and diving sites.
Rescue teams have so far pulled more than 40 people to safety, while coast guard, military personnel, local fishermen and private boat operators continue the search for those missing.
The vessel remains heavily damaged, with smoke still reported from the ferry as authorities work to secure the scene.
The cause of the fire has not been established. Authorities say an investigation is underway, with early accounts indicating that the blaze may have started in the vessel’s cargo area.
The latest incident has once again drawn attention to maritime safety in the Philippines, where ferry travel is a vital means of transportation across the archipelago but has been repeatedly affected by deadly accidents.
In March 2023, the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 caught fire off Basilan, killing 33 people. Earlier, the 2004 bombing of SuperFerry 14 killed more than 100 people in one of the country’s deadliest attacks at sea.
As the search for survivors continues off Palawan, authorities are expected to determine what caused the latest fire and whether any safety failures contributed to the disaster.
