CORON: A ferry ride to the popular tourist island of Coron turned into a nightmare Wednesday when the vessel caught fire off Palawan, killing at least five people and leaving dozens missing as rescuers raced against strong currents and rough weather.
The MV June Aster was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members when the fire broke out at about 6 p.m. local time, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. The vessel had departed from Manila and was nearing Coron in Palawan province when flames engulfed it.
Coast Guard officials said Thursday that 42 people had been rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members. Authorities said 86 to 87 people remained unaccounted for, with the figures subject to change as search-and-rescue operations continued.
Coast Guard Capt. Noemi Cayabyab said authorities were still working to reconcile the numbers.
“Based on the data we have right now on rescued (42) and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for,” Cayabyab said.
The vessel was about 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) off the coast of Coron when the fire started. It was believed to be roughly an hour from its destination.
Video released by the coast guard showed the ferry engulfed in flames and thick smoke as rescue boats moved toward the vessel. Other footage showed survivors being pulled from the water, while casualties were taken away in body bags.
The fire continued to burn into Thursday morning, complicating efforts to reach people who may still be missing.
Coast guard officials said strong currents and poor weather were making the operation particularly difficult. The ferry also drifted from its initial distress location, forcing rescuers to expand their search area.
A coast guard spokesman said the vessel had been carried farther offshore by the current, creating additional challenges for rescue teams.
The survivors were taken to an evacuation center in Barangay Turda, north of Marcilla. Authorities had not immediately provided a complete assessment of their injuries.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Coast guard officials said they had yet to speak with all of the rescued passengers, leaving key details about how the blaze began unclear.
A first responder described the disaster as unlike anything previously witnessed in Coron.
“I was one of the people who carried and transported the casualties to the hospital last night,” the responder said, calling the incident “really heartbreaking.”
While rescuers searched the waters, anxious relatives gathered at hospitals and evacuation centers, waiting for news of loved ones who were aboard the ferry.
Anelyn Magbanua was among those desperately searching for a family member. Her husband, Marlon, had been in Manila visiting their two children before boarding the ferry to return home.
She said she last heard from him while the vessel was passing a village about two hours from Coron.
Magbanua expected the ferry to arrive at the port between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday. Instead, she was awakened by a relative who told her the vessel had caught fire.
“I couldn’t describe what I am feeling right now. I have been crying and praying since last night,” she said.
She later went to a hospital in Coron hoping to find her husband among the survivors, but he remained unaccounted for.
“My two-year-old son and I are outside the hospital as we speak. We have nothing but ourselves,” she said.
Rai Garcia was also waiting for news of three family friends aboard the vessel.
Mae Lorraine Galera-Navoa had traveled to Luzon to attend her father’s funeral with her husband, Elyzer Navoa, and their 3-year-old daughter, Hiraya Joy. The family was returning to El Nido in Palawan when the ferry caught fire.
“We haven’t received any news yet. That’s why we had to comment on local news threads just to receive updates,” Garcia said.
“We still hope and pray for their safety.”
Other relatives have posted appeals on the Philippine Coast Guard’s Facebook page seeking information about missing family members.
The disaster has renewed attention on maritime safety in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands where ferries provide an essential and affordable way to transport people and cargo between communities.
For many island residents, sea travel is the only practical option. But ferry operations can be vulnerable to monsoon rains, tropical storms, typhoons and rough seas. The Philippines is hit by an average of about 20 typhoons each year.
Previous maritime disasters have also raised concerns about vessel maintenance and the enforcement of safety regulations.
In 2023, 31 people died after a fire broke out aboard the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 while it was traveling from Zamboanga City to Basilan island in the southern Philippines.
With dozens of passengers still missing from the June Aster, rescue teams are continuing their search off Palawan as authorities work to establish the full scale and cause of the disaster.
