At least five people died after a fire broke out on the passenger ferry M/V June Aster near Coron in the Philippines' Palawan province on Wednesday evening. The vessel caught fire approximately 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla while traveling from Manila.
The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that rescue operations were launched immediately to assist those on board. Official reports indicate that 42 people have been rescued so far, while emergency teams worked to bring passengers ashore as the ship remained engulfed in flames.
According to data from MarineTraffic and local reports, the ferry was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members at the time of the incident. Coast guard officials have recovered five casualties, and rescue efforts in the area are ongoing.
