At least five people are dead and 86 remain missing after a ferry caught fire off the coast of the Philippines, according to the country’s coastguard. The vessel, the MV June Aster, had departed Manila with 117 passengers and 17 crew members aboard, bound for the popular tourist destination of Coron in Palawan province, when flames broke out Wednesday evening.
The blaze reportedly began in the ship’s cargo hold and was still smoldering more than 16 hours later. Rescue crews said powerful sea currents and dense smoke hampered efforts to put out the fire and reach survivors. Officials also noted that some passengers had not been wearing life vests when the emergency unfolded.
So far, 43 people have been pulled from the water alive, though the extent of their injuries is not yet clear. Seven survivors were transferred to a hospital on the nearby island of Culion, which has greater medical capacity. One survivor described treading water for two hours in cold conditions before being rescued, saying he believed he would have died had help arrived any later.
Families are anxiously awaiting word on missing loved ones. One woman said she has been at a hospital in Coron since the fire broke out, hoping to find her husband among the survivors, while another family is searching for three relatives, including a young child, who were traveling home after a funeral. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the fire.
Read the full BBC report for more details and updates on the rescue operation.
Source: Five dead and 86 missing as 'heartbreaking' fire breaks out on Philippines ferry (feeds.bbci.co.uk). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: gil278, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).