Five Dead as Fire Engulfs Philippine Ferry: Dozens Still Missing
The June Aster ferry caught fire one nautical mile off Busuanga Island.
A deadly fire aboard a passenger ferry near the Philippines has left at least five people dead and dozens missing, as authorities scramble to account for survivors.
The June Aster, carrying 117 passengers and 17 crewmembers, was traveling from Manila to Coron on Busuanga Island when flames erupted around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday. The vessel was roughly one nautical mile off Marcilla, a town on the eastern side of Busuanga, when the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) received distress calls. Multiple PCG units, along with other government agencies and commercial ships from Coron, rushed to assist.
Search Operations Continue as Cause Remains Unknown: Ferry
Footage released by the PCG showed the ferry engulfed in flames by the time rescuers arrived. The blaze was so intense that parts of the hull glowed red-hot in the darkness. Despite the efforts, five bodies were recovered, while 42 people were rescued from the water. Authorities warned that the number of missing passengers could still be high, as the initial passenger manifest suggested more people were aboard than those accounted for in the rescue.
Overnight search and recovery efforts persisted, with teams combing the area for any remaining survivors or victims. The PCG confirmed that the exact number of missing individuals was still being determined, as officials cross-referenced rescue reports with the ferry’s manifest.
Families Left in Limbo as Authorities Work to Confirm Identities
The cause of the fire has not been established, and investigators have not released further details. The PCG stated that their immediate focus was on locating survivors and securing the scene, though no additional updates on the investigation were provided.
For the families of those still unaccounted for, the wait for answers has been harrowing. The PCG has not yet released the identities of the victims or survivors, leaving many in uncertainty. The dramatic footage of the burning ferry underscored the severity of the incident, as responders battled the flames in the open sea.
Las autoridades anunciaron que publicarán un informe preliminar en las próximas 48 horas, mientras continúan las labores de identificación y recuento de víctimas. El equipo forense trabajará con las muestras recopiladas para confirmar identidades, proceso que podría extenderse hasta el próximo lunes. La reunión informativa con familiares está programada para el viernes a las 10:00 horas en las instalaciones de la PCG.
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