A passenger ferry caught fire off Palawan’s western coast on Thursday, killing five and leaving scores missing. The incident occurred after the vessel, the M/V June Aster, departed Manila for Coron. Authorities confirmed 43 survivors and 5 deaths, with more than 80 people unaccounted for. The ship was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members, according to its manifest. The blaze began late Wednesday night and continued into Thursday, leaving thick smoke and extreme heat.
Coast Guard teams deployed multiple vessels, aircraft, and drones to locate survivors. They used drift‑modelling tools to predict where currents might have carried people. Despite thick smoke and concerns about heat and explosions, rescuers could not yet enter the vessel. Air assets were on standby, weather permitting, to assist with the search.
The ferry departed from Baseco in Manila and was bound for Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan known for its diving sites, beaches, and island‑hopping attractions. The manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew members. The ship had drifted further from its original location overnight, carried by currents and winds, adding to the challenges faced by rescuers.
Among the 43 people rescued were two Chilean nationals, according to Aileen Ausente, a coast guard spokesperson in Palawan. Air assets were on standby to help with rescue operations, weather permitting. Drone footage released by the coast guard showed the blackened ferry surrounded by clear blue‑green waters, still emitting smoke hours after the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Ferry travel is a common mode of transport in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands where millions rely on boats to travel between provinces. The country has a patchy maritime safety record, and many previous ferry disasters have been linked to overcrowding, rough weather, and lax enforcement of safety regulations.
