The Philippine Coast Guard said 43 people had been rescued from the MV June Aster, which was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members on a voyage from Manila to Coron. The vessel remained afloat but was listing and smouldering after the overnight blaze was extinguished.
Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said thick smoke, extreme heat and the risk of explosions initially prevented rescuers from boarding the blackened ferry. Two 44-metre coast guard vessels, three smaller craft, army rescue boats, local fishermen and private resort operators joined the operation, while a military aircraft was placed on standby.
The ferry had departed from Baseco in Manila and was approaching Coron, a tourism centre in Palawan, when the fire broke out at about 6.45pm on Wednesday. Coast Guard footage showed flames engulfing large sections of the vessel as rescue teams moved through darkness to reach passengers in the water.
Bad weather, high waves and strong currents complicated the rescue. Authorities said the ferry was about four nautical miles, or 7.4 kilometres, from the village of Turda when it sent a distress signal, but currents later carried it to about 7.68 nautical miles, or 14.2 kilometres, offshore.
Cayabyab said one survivor reported hearing a powerful explosion from the cargo hold before the flames spread rapidly. Authorities have not established the cause of the blast or the fire, and officials cautioned against drawing conclusions while the investigation was under way.
Some of those pulled from the sea were not wearing life jackets, suggesting passengers may have jumped overboard as the fire spread. Coast guard personnel broadcast alerts to nearby ships and coordinated with coastal communities in case survivors had drifted towards shore.
Authorities said the five fatalities were brought ashore in Coron as emergency teams established reception points for survivors and casualties. Rescue boats continued moving between the drifting ferry and the coast throughout the night. The Coast Guard also appealed to commercial and private vessels in surrounding waters to assist where possible, while personnel monitored the damaged ship for renewed fire or explosions before boarding teams could safely begin a closer inspection of its interior.
The Coast Guard said the vessel’s manifest listed 134 people in total. Its latest count of 43 rescued and five confirmed dead left 86 people unaccounted for, although officials stressed that the figures could change as survivors were located and passenger records were checked.
Among those rescued were two Chilean nationals, according to the Coast Guard. Officials were still gathering information from survivors, some of whom required medical attention after being brought ashore.
The ferry was also carrying five motorcycles, an electric vehicle, a forklift, a pickup truck and general cargo. Cayabyab said the June Aster had passed safety inspections and had a maximum authorised capacity of 330 people, well above the number listed on the voyage manifest.
A comprehensive investigation has been opened to determine where the fire began and whether any safety rules were breached. Cayabyab said it was too early to assess suggestions of sabotage or terrorism and that investigators had not identified evidence establishing either possibility.
Atienza Inter-Island Ferries, the vessel’s operator, said it was cooperating with government authorities and had mobilised resources to assist with the emergency. The company said it would support the investigation and affected families.
Night-time images released by the Coast Guard showed rescuers throwing life jackets towards survivors and helping people into smaller boats. Other footage on Thursday showed the charred ferry surrounded by clear water, with smoke continuing to rise from sections of the vessel.
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