Rescue teams managed to board the MV June Aster ferry on Friday (11), which was destroyed by a fire near Coron, in Palawan province, western Philippines. The toll released by the Philippine Coast Guard maintained at least five dead, 84 missing, and 43 people rescued.
The vessel was carrying 134 people — 117 passengers and 17 crew members — on a journey of over 20 hours between Manila and Coron. The fire began on Wednesday night, when the ferry was already close to its destination. According to the Associated Press, the ship was about 7.4 kilometers from Coron.
Heat and smoke delayed the teams’ entry
Intense heat and smoke prevented firefighters from accessing internal areas during the initial hours of the operation. The Coast Guard reported that the fire was declared extinguished at 10:15 a.m. on Friday local time, allowing a safety assessment and the start of the search inside the vessel.
Charred remains were found in the economy class accommodation area. Authorities had not yet reported how many additional victims might be among the findings and said that recovery and identification work would be conducted by police forensics experts. Because of this, the official death toll remained at five at the time of the update.
The total number of missing people was revised from 86 to 84 after authorities confirmed that two people initially included on the passenger list had not boarded. The investigation continues as numbers may change as survivors, relatives, and company records are cross-checked.
Cause of the fire is still under investigation
The origin of the flames has not yet been determined. The Maritime Industry Authority of the Philippines reported that survivors recounted two successive explosions before the fire spread. This account is part of the investigation and, so far, does not establish the cause of the accident.
According to Reuters, the ferry was carrying five motorcycles, an electric vehicle, a forklift, a pickup truck, and other cargo. Operator Atienza Inter-Island Ferries stated that it is cooperating with authorities.
Accident once again exposes maritime transport risks
Millions of people rely on ferries and boats to travel across the more than 7,600 islands of the Philippines. The new accident comes months after more than 60 people died in the sinking of a vessel bound for Sulu province in January.
The immediate priority in Palawan is to locate the missing, recover and identify the victims, and provide information to families. In parallel, investigators will analyze the vessel’s condition, cargo, and safety procedures to determine how the fire started and why it spread so quickly.
Sources: Reuters and Associated Press. Information updated on September 11, 2026.
Illustrative featured image: the vessel pictured is not the MV June Aster.
