A fire erupted on a passenger ferry in the western waters of the Philippines, resulting in numerous individuals being unaccounted for, the coast guard reported on Thursday. At least five individuals lost their lives in the incident. As of now, 42 individuals have been rescued, with ongoing efforts to locate the 87 people still missing, according to coast guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab during a radio interview.
The ferry, named MV June Aster, had departed from Manila and was in the vicinity of Coron in Palawan province when the fire broke out on Wednesday. Visuals from the location depicted the ferry engulfed in flames. Despite the challenging weather conditions and rough sea waves, coast guard personnel managed to provide life jackets to survivors amidst the blazing ferry. Passengers were assisted onto smaller boats that transported them to shallow waters, while body bags were seen at what appeared to be a docking area.
Cayabyab mentioned that adverse weather and strong sea currents had caused the ferry to drift several nautical miles from its original position. The ferry had a total of 134 individuals on board, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. “Based on the current data regarding the rescued and casualties, we are still actively searching for 87 individuals,” Cayabyab conveyed to DZXL radio.
The exact cause of the fire remains uncertain, and the coast guard is in communication with the shipping company and maritime authorities to gather more information. In the Philippines, ferries serve as a common mode of transportation in the archipelago. Incidents at sea are not rare due to inclement weather, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and lax enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote areas.
One of the most tragic maritime disasters occurred in 1987 when the ferry Dona Paz sank following a collision with a fuel tanker in the central Philippines, claiming the lives of over 4,300 individuals in the deadliest peacetime maritime catastrophe globally.