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Philippine ferry fire kills 5, 87 missing: coast guard
The Philippine Coast Guard rescued 42 people and reported five deaths after the ferry carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew caught fire.
On Wednesday, the passenger vessel MV June Aster caught fire off Coron, Palawan, killing at least five people. The ferry was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members when the incident occurred.
The Philippine Coast Guard responded to a 6:45 p.m. distress report, rescuing 42 people from the burning ship located 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla. Local fishermen and disaster authorities assisted in the emergency response.
Operated by Atienza Interisland Shipping Line, the ferry had departed from Manila before catching fire. The vessel was fully engulfed in flames, prompting the coast guard to deploy oil spill response equipment as a precautionary measure.
Survivors were temporarily brought to a covered court in Barangay Turda for assessment. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab confirmed search and rescue operations continue, though authorities have not yet determined the exact number of people unaccounted for.
Authorities have not disclosed the cause of the fire as of the time of posting. Search and rescue operations remain active while investigators work to determine why the incident occurred near the tourist destination.
A ferry from Manila caught fire near a tourist site in Palawan Province, in the western Philippines, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. Five lifeless bodies were brought to the ground while 87 people remain missing.