At least five people have died and 86 remain missing following a fire that broke out aboard the MV June Aster, a passenger ferry operating between Manila and the western Philippine tourist destination of Coron. The vessel was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members when the blaze erupted at 18:45 local time (10:45 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the country's coastguard.
The fire started approximately 2.2 kilometres from the coast as the ferry neared its destination in Palawan. According to reporting on the incident, search-and-rescue operations continued on Thursday with a large-scale response coordinated off Palawan. The blaze remained active as of 11:00 on Thursday, with strong currents and thick smoke hampering efforts to extinguish it, the coastguard said.
How many people have been rescued?
According to reporting from maritime authorities, 42 people had been rescued, though the Philippine Coast Guard noted the missing count could still change as search efforts continued. Seven of those rescued were transported to a hospital in Culion, a larger neighbouring island with greater bed capacity and more comprehensive healthcare services. The remaining survivors were taken to an evacuation centre in Barangay Turda, north of Marcilla, though the extent of injuries sustained remains unclear.
What caused the fire?
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the coastguard, which is coordinating with the shipping company and maritime authorities. However, preliminary interviews with survivors suggest the blaze originated in the cargo hold, the compartment where containers and goods are stored. The coastguard also noted that some passengers were not wearing life vests at the time of the incident.
One survivor, Roland Lerma, described spending two hours in the sea before rescue.
It was cold. If the rescue was delayed, I would definitely have died,he told a national broadcaster. A first responder working in Coron told the same outlet they had never witnessed such a disaster in the area.
I was one of the people who carried and transported the casualties to the hospital last night,the responder said, noting that the ferry had been approximately one hour away from its destination when the fire broke out.
Who are the missing?
Families of those unaccounted for have begun searching for information about their loved ones. Anelyn Magbanua is among those anxiously waiting for news. Her husband Marlon had spent several days in Manila visiting their two children, who attend school in the capital. Magbanua last heard from him as the ferry passed through a village approximately two hours from Coron's port.
I was expecting that the ferry will arrive at the pier at between 18:00 and 19:00 yesterday,she said. She was awakened by a cousin who informed her the ferry had caught fire.
I couldn't describe what I am feeling right now. I have been crying and praying since last night,Magbanua said. She travelled to a hospital in Coron hoping to find Marlon among the survivors, but he remains unaccounted for.
My two-year-old son and I are outside the hospital as we speak. We have nothing but ourselves,she added.
Rai Garcia reported that three family friends are among those missing. Mae Lorraine Galera-Navoa, sister of Garcia's brother-in-law, had travelled to Luzon to attend her father's funeral, accompanied by her husband Elyzer Navoa and their three-year-old daughter Hiraya Joy. The family was returning home to El Nido in Palawan when the vessel caught fire.
We haven't received any news yet. That's why we had to comment on local news threads just to receive updates,Garcia said.
We still hope and pray for their safety.Garcia's family created a poster appealing for information using a photograph Mae had taken aboard the ferry.
Others have posted on the Philippine Coast Guard's Facebook page seeking information about missing relatives.
Please can you find my sibling,read one comment among many similar pleas.
Why are maritime accidents common in the Philippines?
The Philippines is an archipelago comprising 7,100 islands, making inter-island ferries an essential and affordable means of transporting people and cargo between locations that are often inaccessible by air. However, this reliance on maritime transport comes with significant risks. The country experiences an average of 20 typhoons annually, and severe weather, monsoon rains, and turbulent conditions pose constant hazards to vessels operating in Philippine waters.
Past maritime disasters have been attributed to poor maintenance standards and inconsistent enforcement of safety regulations. In 2023, 31 people died when fire broke out aboard the MV Lady Mary Joy 3, a passenger ferry travelling from Zamboanga city to Basilan island in the country's south-western region. With 86 people still missing from the current incident, this ferry disaster could rank among the worst maritime accidents the Philippines has experienced in recent years.
What happens next?
The Philippine Coast Guard's investigation into the fire's origin continues, with officials working to determine the exact circumstances that led to the blaze. According to reports on the ongoing response, the fire has been extinguished, but the vessel remains afloat and has developed a list. Search-and-rescue operations remain active as authorities work to locate the 86 missing persons and resolve the final casualty count.
Key Facts
- The MV June Aster departed from Baseco in Manila with 134 people aboard—117 passengers and 17 crew members—bound for Coron in Palawan.
- The fire erupted at 18:45 local time on Wednesday and was still burning as of Thursday morning, hampered by strong currents and thick smoke.
- Preliminary investigation suggests the fire originated in the cargo hold; some passengers were not wearing life vests.
- Five confirmed deaths, 42 rescued, and 86 missing as of the latest update from maritime authorities.
- The incident occurs amid a broader pattern of maritime accidents in the Philippines, where ferries are a vital transport link across thousands of islands.
