September 10, 2026 : At least five people have been killed after a passenger ferry caught fire at sea near Coron, a popular tourist destination in the Philippines’ Palawan province, the BBC reported on Thursday, September 10.
The Philippine Coast Guard said 42 people have so far been rescued alive following the incident.
The fire broke out on the M/V June Astor on Wednesday evening, about 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) from the coast. The Philippine Coast Guard released video footage showing the ferry engulfed in flames.
According to information available by early Thursday, a total of 134 people were aboard the ferry, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members.
The vessel had departed from a port in the Philippine capital, Manila, and was bound for Coron, a popular tourist destination. It caught fire while sailing in waters off Coron in Palawan province.
Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab said Thursday that the passenger and crew manifest listed 134 people aboard the vessel. Five bodies have been recovered, while 42 people have been rescued. The remaining 87 people are still unaccounted for.
Search and rescue operations are continuing to locate those who remain missing, Cayabyab said.
She said four crew members and 38 passengers were among those rescued. However, none of them was in a condition to speak, making it difficult for authorities to determine what caused the fire and where the passengers were located when the incident occurred.
The June Astor had begun its voyage from Manila before the fire broke out on its way to Coron.
Source: BBC