Philippines ferry fire kills 5, leaves 87 missing near Palawan
Fire broke out on a passenger ferry off Palawan in the Philippines, killing five and leaving 87 unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue.
A major accident has occurred at sea near Palawan province in the Philippines. The passenger ferry MV June Aster, travelling from Manila to Coron island, caught fire suddenly in open waters. Within minutes, flames and smoke engulfed the entire vessel, triggering alarm among authorities and in the surrounding area.
According to initial information from the coast guard, the incident took place about 2.2 kilometres, or nearly 1.2 nautical miles, from the Coron coast. The fire broke out just as the ship was nearing its destination, leaving passengers little time to react. Many passengers are reported to have jumped directly into the sea to save their lives.
On receiving word of the fire, the Philippine Coast Guard rushed to the scene and launched a large rescue operation. With help from local fishermen and emergency services, 42 people have so far been pulled safely from the sea, including 38 passengers and 4 crew members. However, 5 passengers died in the accident, and the coast guard has recovered 5 bodies from the sea and brought them ashore. Some of the survivors were seriously injured and have been admitted to a nearby hospital.
Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab told local media that the ship's official manifest recorded a total of 134 people on board, comprising 117 passengers and 17 crew members. So far 42 people have been rescued and 5 bodies found, but as many as 87 remain missing. Cayabyab said, "This is a provisional figure, and the search and rescue operation at sea is still under way on a war footing. So the count of the missing and the rescued may change." Helicopters, boats and divers are being used to search for the missing passengers.
The Philippine Coast Guard has shared an official video of the incident and the rescue operation on its Facebook page. It shows the MV June Aster ferry ablaze and plumes of smoke rising from the sea. It shows coast guard personnel and local fishermen throwing life jackets and trying to rescue passengers swimming in the dark of night. The video is spreading rapidly on social media.
The exact cause of the fire on the ferry has not yet been established. Maritime safety authorities are investigating whether a short circuit in the ship's engine room or some other cause led to the fire. Coron is popular with tourists from around the world, known for its beautiful beaches and the wrecks of ships sunk during the Second World War. The accident has brought grief to hundreds of families who had travelled there for tourism.
