At least five people have died and 87 remain unaccounted for after a passenger ferry caught fire off Coron in the Philippine province of Palawan.
The M/V June Aster was carrying 134 passengers and crew when the fire broke out Wednesday evening, about 2.2 kilometres offshore.
Philippine Coast Guard officials said 42 people had been rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members. The vessel was badly damaged and rescue teams continued searching the area.
The ferry had departed Manila and was travelling toward Coron, a major tourist destination in Palawan.
The cause of the fire has not been established. Authorities are continuing search-and-rescue operations while the vessel’s operator and maritime authorities investigate the incident.
Rough seas and strong currents have complicated the rescue effort. Officials have warned that the casualty figures could change as authorities reconcile the passenger manifest with those rescued and those still missing.
SOURCES:
Associated Press — Fire on passenger ferry in Philippines
ABC News Australia — Philippines ferry fire
Philstar — Ferry fire off Palawan
