Posted Thu 10 Sep 2026 at 11:42amThu 10 Sep 2026 at 11:42am, updated Thu 10 Sep 2026 at 1:18pmThu 10 Sep 2026 at 1:18pmIn short:At least five people are dead and scores missing after a ferry fire in the Philippine province of Palawan.The coastguard says 42 people have been rescued and that the ship's manifest showed 134 passengers and crew were aboard.What's next?The cause of the fire is still under investigation.At least five people are dead and 87 remain unaccounted-for after a fire erupted aboard a ferry near a tourist hotspot in the Philippines province of Palawan, officials say.The fire aboard the MV June Aster broke out on Wednesday evening, local time, 2.2 kilometres offshore, the coastguard said, adding that five casualties had been brought ashore.Video shared by the Philippine Coast Guard on social media showed the ferry completely engulfed by flames.Video showed the ferry ablaze off the coast of Palawan. (Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)/AFP)Coast guard personnel tossed life jackets to survivors as the ferry burnt.Images shared by the coastguard showed passengers helped into smaller boats and taken to shallow water, and body bags were laid out at what looked like a port."Based on the data we have right now on rescued and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted-for," Philippine Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab told a local radio station on Thursday.She said 42 people had been rescued and that the ship's manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew.A survivor is helped off a small boat after being rescued from a burning ferry off Palawan province, Philippines. (AP: Philippine Coast Guard)"Just to make it clear, this is live data and may change as our search and rescue operations are ongoing," Captain Cayabyab said.Of those rescued, 38 were passengers and four were crew, she said.Bad weather and big waves were challenging rescuers, and sea currents had dragged the ferry several nautical miles from its initial location, she said.Captain Cayabyab said it was still unclear what caused the fire and the coast guard is coordinating with the shipping company and maritime authorities to get more details.MarineTraffic data showed the June Aster departed from ManilaAFP/AP