A ferry fire off the coast of the Philippines has left at least five people dead and 86 missing, in what could become one of the country’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent years. The MV June Aster was carrying more than 100 passengers from Manila to Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan province, when the blaze broke out.
Survivor Roland Lerma, a 30-year-old construction worker, told the BBC he was knocked to the floor as panicked passengers pushed past him trying to flee the burning vessel. He crawled until he regained his footing, then leapt into the sea, discarding his clothes, phone and bags so he could stay afloat. Lerma says he treaded water for roughly two hours in the cold sea before rescuers pulled him out, adding that he likely would not have survived much longer.
The ferry departed Manila’s Port of Baseco on Tuesday night for a journey expected to take more than 20 hours. It caught fire Wednesday evening just over a mile (2.2 km/1.2 nautical miles) from Coron’s coast. Investigators say a passenger reported hearing an explosion in the cargo hold, which held motorcycles, an electric car and other vehicles. Among the 43 rescued so far are two Chilean nationals. Search and rescue efforts continue, though officials say the fire has not yet been fully extinguished.
Read the full story on BBC News for more details.
Source: 'People were trampling me': Philippine ferry fire survivor recalls narrow escape (feeds.bbci.co.uk). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: markkirk85, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).