Search and recovery teams in the Philippines have pulled dozens of bodies from the charred hull of a passenger ferry that caught fire earlier in the week. The maritime disaster unfolded on Wednesday as the vessel approached the popular tourist destination of Coron following an overnight voyage from Manila.
The Philippine Coast Guard announced that thirty additional remains were discovered inside the wreckage, raising the confirmed death toll to thirty-five. The ferry, identified as the MV June Aster, was carrying 134 occupants in total, consisting of 117 passengers and 17 crew members.
Emergency responders have managed to rescue forty-three individuals, many of whom required hospital care for various injuries. However, rescue personnel are still searching for more than fifty people who remain missing.
Recovery operations inside the vessel faced severe delays due to safety hazards. Coast guard officials explained that teams could not enter the burnt-out structure until Friday because of dangerously high temperatures and thick, toxic fumes lingering within the compartments.
During a media briefing, coast guard representatives noted that the majority of the victims were found inside the vessel's sleeping quarters. Officials stated that formal procedures for recovering and identifying the deceased are currently underway while authorities work to support grieving relatives.
Preliminary accounts from survivors indicate that the flames originated in the cargo section of the ship. Initial inquiries also suggest that several passengers were not wearing life jackets when the emergency unfolded.
One survivor recounted harrowing moments of confusion after the fire broke out, describing frantic screams and being trampled by panicked crowds during the evacuation. Coast guard boats ultimately pulled him and other survivors to safety from the water.
The maritime authority of the Philippines has launched a formal investigation into the disaster. The vessel, which was constructed in two thousand and two, possessed valid safety certification and had successfully cleared a routine inspection earlier in March.
Investigators are currently examining multiple aspects of the incident, including potential discrepancies in the passenger manifest, the safety of cargo loading practices, and the emergency response actions taken by the crew.
The operator of the ferry, Atienza Interisland Ferries, issued a statement expressing condolences to the families impacted by the tragedy. The company pledged complete transparency and cooperation with government investigators as the search for missing passengers continues.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
