Flames engulf the MV June Aster passenger ferry after it caught fire near the Philippine island of Coron on Wednesday night. At least five people were killed and scores are missing, the Philippine Coast Guard said. (Screenshot from Philippine Coast Guard's Facebook page)ELLA HERMONIO and JOHN AGLIONBYSeptember 10, 2026 11:30 JSTUpdated on September 10, 2026 12:05 JSTMANILA/TOKYO -- Five people died and scores are missing after a ferry caught fire near the Philippine island of Palawan on Wednesday evening, the coast guard said, in the latest maritime accident in the Southeast Asian nation.Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said 42 people were rescued overnight from the MV June Aster after the vessel was engulfed in flames about 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla, Coron, Palawan. The ship had sailed from Baseco port in Metro Manila and was bound for Coron, a municipality in Palawan province. It was operated by Atienza Interisland Shipping Line.Coast guard vessels and other ships sailed to the area and were searching the surrounding waters, a Philippine Coast Guard statement on Facebook said."Based on the manifest given to us, from 117 passengers and 17 crew -- that's 134 -- so based on the data that we have right now on the rescued and casualties, there are 87 more that are still missing," Cayabyab said in an interview with radio station DZXL on Thursday morning. "But I want to make it clear, this is live data, it may change because search and rescue is still ongoing."In an update later on Thursday morning, the PGC said one more person had been rescued, taking the total to 43, and 86 remained missing."[The cause of fire] is still being investigated. Actually, of the 42 rescued last night, 38 were passengers and 4 were crew members. However, we cannot get information from them yet, so we will wait," Cayabyab said. "We are also in coordination with the shipping company and definitely that will be part of our investigation."Rescue efforts were being hampered by bad weather and the vessel being "dragged away from shore by the current," Cayabyab added.Atienza had yet to issue a statement by Thursday morning.Ferry accidents are common in the Philippines. In January a passenger and cargo ferry carrying more than 350 people sank in Basilan province in the south of the country, resulting in at least 58 deaths, according to the PCG. Government data indicates there were 202 "serious" accidents at sea in 2024 alone.