Ferry Fire Off Philippines Leaves 5 Dead, 87 Missing

At least five people have died and 87 remain unaccounted for following a fire aboard the passenger ferry MV June Aster off the coast of Coron, Palawan, on Wednesday evening. The vessel was carrying 134 people, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members, when the blaze erupted approximately 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. on September 9. Rescue operations were immediately launched, involving Coast Guard vessels, the Bureau of Fire Protection, local disaster response teams, and volunteer fishermen. Footage released by the Coast Guard showed the ferry engulfed in flames, complicating efforts to approach and search the ship. As of Thursday morning, 42 individuals had been rescued. Of those, three were reported in critical condition, 33 were hospitalized, and six had been discharged, according to Coron health officials. The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that five bodies had been recovered. Captain Noemi Cayabyab, a Coast Guard spokesperson, stated that the figures were provisional and subject to change as search-and-rescue operations continued.