At least 35 people have died and 54 remain missing after fire swept through the MV June Aster passenger ferry off the western Philippines, with search and rescue teams continuing to recover bodies and look for survivors.
The blaze broke out on Wednesday night as the vessel travelled from Manila towards Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan province. It was about 7.4 kilometres off the village of Turda when the fire was reported.
Forty-three people have been rescued, according to the Philippine Coast Guard, while the latest toll rose after more remains were recovered from the badly damaged ship.
Rescuers struggled to enter the ferry because of intense heat and thick smoke. Images released by the coast guard showed the charred interior, burnt metal and what appeared to be human remains.
The vessel’s manifest listed 134 people on board, including 117 passengers and 17 crew. Two people named on the manifest later told authorities they had not boarded the ferry.
The cause of the fire has not been established. The coast guard said an investigation would examine the circumstances surrounding the blaze and the actions of the crew during the emergency.
Survivor Arnulfo Nokki Villanueva told News5 that the fire spread rapidly and that he escaped through a window. He said passengers had struggled to obtain life jackets as panic spread on board.
Two Chilean tourists were among those rescued and were being treated for injuries at a hospital in Coron, according to a representative of the ferry’s owner, Atienza Interisland Ferries.
Search efforts were due to continue on Friday as authorities examined the wreck and searched nearby waters for those still unaccounted for.
