A ferry carrying 134 people caught fire off Palawan. Eighty-six are still missing.
A passenger ferry left Manila on Wednesday evening with 134 people aboard. It caught fire a few hours later off the coast of Palawan, and eighty-six of them have not been found.
The ship is the MV June Aster. AP reports 117 passengers and 17 crew, bound for Coron. The fire was reported at about 6:45 in the evening, local time.
Five people are confirmed dead. Forty-three have been rescued, a figure AP updated overnight from forty-two, which is why the missing count reads eighty-six in some places and eighty-seven in others depending on the hour you read it.
One hundred and thirty-four people boarded. Forty-three have been pulled from the water. Five are confirmed dead. That leaves eighty-six.
The ferry sent its distress signal about four nautical miles off Turda, in Coron. AP reports the currents then dragged it to 7.68 nautical miles offshore. Those same currents, with big waves and bad weather, are what the Coast Guard says is holding the search back.
What started the fire is not known. One survivor told AP it may have begun in the cargo hold. The Coast Guard has not said. Asked about it, its spokeswoman, Commodore Noemie Cayabyab, pointed the question elsewhere: "I think the captain is the most appropriate person to ask with what happened."
UPI reports the vessel was licensed to carry up to 333 passengers. It was carrying 134.
Search operations continued through Thursday.
Eighty-six people boarded that ferry in Manila and have not been found.
By the numbers
- 134 — aboard the MV June Aster: 117 passengers and 17 crew[1]
- 5 — confirmed dead[2]
- 43 — rescued, updated overnight from an earlier figure of 42[3]
- 86 — unaccounted for against the passenger manifest[4]
- 6:45pm — the fire was reported, Wednesday Sept 9, local time[5]
- 4 to 7.68 nautical miles — distance offshore at the distress call, and after the currents dragged the vessel[6]
- 333 — the vessel's licensed maximum passenger capacity[7]
The reporting
This story is built on reporting by AP. Read the original →
Sources
- AP, Fire on passenger ferry in Philippines leaves dozens missing and at least 5 dead
- AP wire, updated overnight rescue figure
- UPI, At least 5 dead, dozens unaccounted for after Philippines ferry fire
- Philstar, 5 reported dead, 42 rescued after ferry fire off Palawan
- ABC News Australia, Philippines ferry fire death toll and search for survivors
Image credits
- Hero: source (Editorial, operator-cleared) — Philippine Coast Guard handout via AP
- Ferry ablaze: source (Editorial, operator-cleared) — AFP
- Rescue: source (Editorial, operator-cleared) — Reuters