Overview
- The passenger ferry MV June Aster caught fire on Wednesday evening about 2.2 kilometres off Palawan while sailing from Manila to Coron and the blaze spread within seconds, survivors said.
- Rescue teams have pulled 43 people from the water and recovered at least five bodies, and the coast guard says about 84 people remain unaccounted for after two names on the manifest were later confirmed not to have boarded.
- Operations were repeatedly delayed by thick smoke, extreme heat, the risk of further explosions and strong currents, and crews finally boarded the badly burned vessel roughly 40 hours after the fire began to search internal spaces.
- Preliminary probes focus on possible explosions in the cargo hold, discrepancies in the passenger manifest and how cargo was stowed, with reports that the ferry carried vehicles including motorcycles, a pickup, a forklift and an electric vehicle.
- The incident has renewed scrutiny of ferry safety in the Philippines where past disasters have been linked to poor maintenance, overcrowding and weak enforcement and investigators say their findings could prompt changes to loading and safety oversight.