Five Dead, 87 Missing After Passenger Ferry June Aster Catches Fire Near Coron
At least five people have been confirmed dead and around 87 remain missing after a major fire broke out aboard the passenger ferry June Aster near Coron, Palawan, in the Philippines. Search and rescue operations are continuing in the area.
The fire reportedly started at around 18:45 local time on September 9. June Aster had departed Manila and was sailing to Coron on Busuanga Island.
According to the vessel's manifest, 117 passengers and 17 crew members were on board.
The fire broke out when the ferry was approximately one nautical mile from Barangay Marcilla, east of its destination.
Philippine Coast Guard units were deployed to the scene shortly after the emergency was reported. Footage released from the incident showed the vessel heavily engulfed in flames, with some sections of the hull appearing red from the intense heat.
As of September 10, 42 people had reportedly been rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members. Five fatalities have been confirmed, while approximately 87 people remain unaccounted for.
Search and rescue teams continue operating in the surrounding waters as authorities attempt to locate the missing passengers and crew. The casualty figures may change as rescuers gather additional information and reconcile survivor records with the vessel's manifest.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established. Authorities are expected to investigate where the blaze originated and how it was able to spread through the passenger ferry.
For now, search and rescue operations remain the priority as the response to the June Aster ferry disaster continues.
