The death toll from a ferry fire in the Philippines has risen to 76 after the coast guard recovered 41 more bodies from the wreckage of the vessel. The MV June Aster caught fire last Wednesday as it approached the tourist destination of Coron after departing Manila, with 117 passengers and 17 crew members on board.
The Philippine Coast Guard said on Saturday that 43 people had survived, many of whom were being treated in hospital, while 13 remained unaccounted for. Recovery efforts were delayed by toxic fumes and intense heat inside the wreckage, preventing authorities from boarding the vessel until Friday.
The Coast Guard said identifying the victims and establishing the cause of the fire were the authorities’ immediate priorities. Relatives are being asked to help identify victims through personal belongings and DNA testing. Tourism officials in Coron said families would be asked to provide DNA samples after confirming photographs or belongings recovered from the vessel.
Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the fire started in a cargo hold before rapidly spreading through the vessel. Survivors reported hearing a loud explosion before smoke and flames engulfed the ferry. Cayabyab said the fire spread so quickly that passengers who escaped the vessel did not have time to put on lifejackets.
One survivor, rescued by a boat, told local media that frantic cries erupted as the fire took hold and that he was trampled by panicked passengers attempting to flee. The MV June Aster, built in 2002, held valid safety certificates and passed an enforcement inspection in March.
Investigators are nevertheless examining possible discrepancies in the passenger manifest, the integrity of cargo loading and the crew’s emergency response procedures, according to government sources.