Ferry fire off Palawan leaves five dead, 86 missing as rescue resumes
At least five people died and 86 remain missing after a passenger ferry caught fire off Coron, Palawan. Forty-three have been rescued.
A passenger ferry caught fire and burned off the western Philippines, leaving at least five people dead and 86 missing, officials said, as smoke continued to rise from the vessel early Friday.
Search and rescue operations were halted on Thursday night because rescuers could not get inside the ferry, and were set to resume Friday morning, officials said. Forty-three people have been rescued so far, coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said.
The MV June Aster remained afloat but was listing off the town of Coron after the fire broke out on Wednesday evening. According to its manifest, 134 people were on board — 117 passengers and 17 crew — well within the vessel's capacity of 306 passengers and 27 crew. The 53-metre ferry had sailed from Manila and was near its destination in Palawan province when the shipping company reported the fire at about 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, the coast guard said.
Authorities were still trying to confirm reports that two foreigners were on board, checking names on the manifest and coordinating with local government officials and the shipping company to identify the dead, the survivors and the missing, Cayabyab said.
Rescuers have struggled to enter the ship because of thick smoke. "Our objective now is to enter the ship, to check the situation so we can assess the situation," Cayabyab said.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. One survivor said it may have begun in the cargo hold and reported "a loud explosion, then followed by smoke and fire," Cayabyab said, adding that the blaze spread within seconds. The coast guard was working with the shipping company and maritime authorities to gather more details.
A coast guard ship and high-speed response boats were joined in the search by a military vessel, other government boats, volunteers and fishermen. The coast guard broadcast a radio message asking nearby ships to watch for passengers and coordinated with coastal villages in case some drifted ashore. Bad weather and big waves hampered the effort.
The ferry was about 4 nautical miles (7.4 kilometres) off the village of Turda when it sent a distress signal, but strong currents dragged it to about 7.68 nautical miles (14.2 kilometres) from the village.
Coron is a popular tourist destination known for its clear blue waters, limestone cliffs and rock formations. Ferries are a common mode of transport across the Philippine archipelago, and sea accidents are not uncommon because of storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding and uneven enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote provinces.