Death toll from Philippines ferry fire rises to 35, as officials warn toll will grow

The bodies of passengers killed in the M/V June Aster ferry fire were brought to a port near Coron, Palawan, on Saturday morning, raising the confirmed death toll to 35. Coast Guard officials warned that the figure could increase as more remains are recovered.

The ferry, which ran aground near the tourist hotspot after a fire erupted in the cargo hold on Wednesday evening, was destroyed in seconds. Survivors reported that the explosion, smoke and flames appeared almost instantaneously, leaving little time to don lifejackets. Thirty passengers and 13 crew were rescued, while 54 people remain unaccounted for. The ship’s manifest listed 134 crew and passengers, with two not having boarded.

Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab explained that 30 bodies were initially transferred to a patrol vessel due to its limited capacity, with additional cadavers still aboard. The remains were placed in a small ship in rows of body bags, accompanied by men in hazmat suits. After the retrieval, the bodies will be handed to police forensic investigators for proper disposition and identification before local authorities can inform families.

Families and the public have turned to social media for updates. One mother, Myra Cabilan, flew to Coron to search for her missing brother, Rammel Gonzaga, who had boarded the ferry from Manila. The company that owns the vessel, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., said it is fully cooperating with the investigation. The incident underscores the ongoing risks associated with inter‑island ferries in the Philippines’ archipelago.