At least five people were killed and 87 are missing after a ferry caught fire in the Philippine province of Palawan, the Coast Guard said on Thursday.
The incident aboard the MV June Aster occurred on Wednesday evening about 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) off the shore of the municipality of Coron, where it was headed after departing from Baseco in Manila.
Coast Guard officials said 42 people had been rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members.
Footage released by the Coast Guard showed the vessel engulfed in flames, and bodies placed in body bags.
The ship’s manifest listed 134 people onboard, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
“Based on the data we have right now on rescued (42) and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for,” Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab said on Thursday, adding that the figures could change as search and rescue operations continued.
Don’t let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google by clicking here and hitting the “star” or “preferred” button, so you’ll always see our verified news first.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
