Fire broke out on the MV June Aster on Wednesday evening, about 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Coron, in northern Palawan. Five people were dead.
The vessel was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew, according to Arab News citing Philippine Coast Guard data. GMA Network reported the same 17 crew, along with more than 100 passengers. Forty-two people had been rescued when reports were first filed. Search and rescue operations were still active.
Video showed the June Aster fully engulfed in flames. The Philippine Coast Guard deployed teams including the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Coast Guard Special Operations Group. BRP Suluan was dispatched from El Nido, about 70 kilometres to the north, to assist.
No cause was given.
MV June Aster Ferry Fire off Coron, Palawan: Five Dead
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