June Aster Fire: Probe Finds Chemical Cargo Fault

Six weeks after MV June Aster burned in the Sulu Sea, Philippine investigators have pinpointed what started the blaze: stocks of calcium hypochlorite stacked alongside an asphalt cargo shifted in rough seas, and the two materials mixed. The Bureau of Fire Protection says faulty ventilation did the rest, allowing the reactive mixture to ignite close to the engine exhaust.

The fire broke out on September 9 off Coron, Palawan. Seventy-seven people died. Forty-three more were injured. Eight remain missing.

Investigators are now pushing for criminal charges. The accused include the vessel's crew, the owner, cargo handlers, and government officials linked to the voyage. The probe centres on how hazardous cargo was loaded, stored, and declared before the sailing.

Passenger ferry safety in the region continues to face scrutiny. Earlier this month, 460 people were safely evacuated when KMP Batumandi caught fire off Java, Indonesia, a separate incident that underlines how quickly a vessel fire can threaten hundreds of lives at sea.