On Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard said that on Wednesday night, a ferry caught fire in the waters near Palawan Island in the western Philippines, resulting in the death of 5 people and over 80 others missing.
The Coast Guard stated that the fire broke out on the “MV June Aster” ferry near Coron, located on Palawan Island. On the night of the incident, a total of 43 people were rescued.
Images released by the Coast Guard showed flames engulfing a portion of the ship, with rescue personnel seen placing the bodies of the deceased in body bags.
Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab told DZXL radio that based on the passenger manifest of the ship, there were 117 passengers and 17 crew members onboard.
With the number of survivors and casualties known, over 80 individuals remain unaccounted for. Cayabyab mentioned that these numbers may change as rescue operations continue.
The ferry departed from Baseco in Manila with its intended destination being Coron, according to Cayabyab.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.