A passenger ferry carrying 132 people caught fire and sank off the coast of Coron in Palawan province, Philippines, on Wednesday evening, with authorities confirming at least 35 deaths and 54 people still missing as of Friday night.
The MV June Aster departed from Manila and caught fire approximately four nautical miles (7.4 kilometers) from Turda village near Coron. The fire broke out Wednesday evening and spread rapidly across the vessel. Rescue operations began immediately, with the coast guard and nearby ships responding to the emergency.
Rescue teams extracted 43 survivors from the water during the initial response. Heavy smoke and extreme heat from the burning ferry hampered rescue and recovery efforts throughout Wednesday night and into Thursday. The vessel eventually listed to one side and drifted closer to shore as the fire continued.
Firefighters were able to enter the ferry for the first time after extinguishing the blaze, which had blocked search and rescue operations since Wednesday evening. Upon entering the severely burned interior and lower compartments of the vessel, rescue personnel discovered 30 bodies on Friday evening. According to an initial count provided by the coast guard, these 30 bodies were recovered from the June Aster on Friday.
The death toll rose to 35 following the recovery of the additional remains. Rescue operations continued as of Friday night, with 54 people unaccounted for. Coast guard personnel, wearing protective suits, were documented transferring bodies in black bags from smaller rescue vessels to coast guard ships.
The fire occurred near Coron, a popular tourist destination on Palawan island. Authorities did not provide details on the cause of the fire or the circumstances that led to the rapid spread of flames across the vessel.