World · India Bureau
Philippine ferry fire kills five, leaves 87 missing as search continues
A devastating fire aboard a passenger ferry in Philippine waters has claimed at least five lives, with 87 people still unaccounted for. Rescue operations are ongoing off the coast of Palawan province.
LSN India ·
A fire engulfed the MV June Aster, a passenger ferry operating in western Philippine waters, on Wednesday, triggering a large-scale search and rescue operation. The vessel was traveling from Manila toward Coron in Palawan province when the blaze erupted, according to the country's coast guard.
At least five people have been confirmed dead, while 87 remain missing, though coast guard officials cautioned that this figure could change as rescue efforts progress. So far, 42 survivors have been pulled from the water, the coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said during a radio interview on Thursday.
The ferry was carrying 134 people in total—117 passengers and 17 crew members—when the fire broke out. Rescue teams have been working to locate the missing passengers and crew as the search operation continues in the waters off western Philippines.