A fire broke out on the passenger ferry MV June Aster off Coron in Palawan province, Philippines, on Wednesday evening, leaving at least five people dead and 87 missing. The coast guard said 42 people had been rescued, and the missing count could still change. The ferry had 134 people on board when the fire started around 6:45 p.m., and bad weather and big waves were hampering rescue efforts.
In this image provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, a survivor is assisted as he alights from a small boat after being rescued from a burning ferry off Palawan province, Philippines, Sept. 9. AP-Yonhap
MANILA, Philippines — A fire broke out on a passenger ferry in waters off the western Philippines, leaving dozens of people missing, the coast guard said Thursday. At least five people were killed.
So far, 42 people have been rescued and efforts were ongoing, so the count of 87 people missing may change, coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said in a radio interview.
The ferry MV June Aster had sailed from Manila and was near Coron in Palawan province when the fire started around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
