Philippine Firefighters Enter Charred Ferry as Rescuers Search for 84 Missing
Search teams found bodies as rescuers kept looking for 84 missing passengers after the ferry fire, officials said.
- On Friday, September 11, 2026, firefighters boarded the charred MV June Aster near Coron, Palawan, recovering 30 bodies and raising the death toll to 35. Fifty-four passengers and crew remain missing.
- Thick smoke and extreme heat prevented boarding for 40 hours after the blaze erupted Wednesday evening, September 9, off Turda. Survivors reported two successive explosions, which authorities suspect originated in the cargo hold.
- Philippine Coast Guard officials confirmed 132 individuals were aboard the 53-meter ferry after verifying two listed passengers failed to board. Survivors described rapid fire, noting many lacked time to don life jackets.
- Recovered remains are set for transport to the Port of Borac on Saturday morning for identification. Families gathered at the office of Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc, expressing frustration over lack of timely information.
- Recurrent maritime disasters plague the Philippine archipelago, where millions rely on ferries for transport. The 1987 sinking of the Dona Paz, which killed more than 4,300 people, exemplifies systemic safety challenges documented in maritime records.
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Rescue teams have located 41 bodies and are working on their identification, while authorities seek to clarify the origin of the maritime disaster
The boat remains stranded about 7.5 kilometers from the coast.
According to the shipping documents, there were 134 people on board the vessel – 117 passengers and 17 crew members. It later turned out that two passengers did not board. Forty-three people survived the disaster, and 13 are still missing. The cause of the fire remains unknown. According to survivors, the fire spread rapidly, leaving no time to even put on life jackets. Captain Wanted: Coast Guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab announced that the c…
Rescuers pull more bodies from burned Philippine ferry as death toll hits 76
Rescuers have retrieved more remains from a passenger ferry in the Philippines that was gutted by fire, bringing the death toll to 76 with 13 missing. The fire occurred Wednesday night, and 43 people survived among the 132 on board. The ferry was traveling from Manila to Coron when the fire erupted. The cause is still unknown, but a survivor suggested it may have started in the cargo hold. Authorities are searching for the ship's captain, who re…
A dramatic rescue operation is underway off the coast of the Philippine province of Palawan after a devastating fire broke out aboard the MV June Aster passenger ferry. As of 5:30 a.m. local time on September 12, the confirmed death toll had risen to 35, with at least 53 passengers still missing, according to local authorities. The incident occurred in the late hours, causing panic among those on board. Survivors described thick toxic smoke and …
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