CORON, the Philippines: The bodies of passengers killed in a ferry fire off the Philippines arrived at a port near the resort town of Coron, Palawan, on Saturday (Sep 12) morning, as the country's coast guard warned the death toll of 35 would grow.AFP watched tents being set up to accept 30 bodies brought from the M/V June Aster, which ran aground near the tourist hotspot after a fire erupted on Wednesday evening and tore through the vessel "in seconds".Coast guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab told a Saturday press conference the remains would be turned over to police forensic investigators for "proper disposition and identification" before allowing local authorities to inform family members."Currently, we are focused on the retrieval, and after that we will proceed with the investigation," she said, confirming the bodies had been found in the ship's economy accommodation area.
Police investigators were seen arriving at the port shortly after the press conference ended.Asked how many bodies remained aboard the ship, she said authorities would provide an update later in the day.
A burnt vehicle and the burnt frames of motorbikes in the cargo hull of the M/V June Aster off the shores of Coron town, Palawan province, on Sep 11, 2026. (Photo: Philippine Coast Guard via AFP)
