Philippines: at least 5 dead and 87 missing after ferry fire

At least five people were killed and 87 others remained missing on Thursday, September 10, 2026, following the fire on the passenger ferry MV June Aster, which occurred Wednesday evening off the coast of Coron in Palawan province, western Philippines. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, 134 people were listed on the ship’s manifest, and search and rescue operations were ongoing.

Authorities reported that 42 individuals had been rescued, including 38 passengers and four crew members. The manifest indicated there were 117 passengers and 17 crew members. The Coast Guard noted that the number of missing persons could still change as operations continued.

The fire broke out on Wednesday around 6:45 pm local time in waters off Barangay Marcilla in the municipality of Coron. Units from the Philippine Coast Guard, firefighters, and local disaster management services were mobilized to evacuate survivors and search for the missing.

The vessel was completely engulfed in flames, according to images released by authorities and Philippine media. The patrol vessel BRP Suluan was also dispatched from the port of San Fernando in El Nido to bolster operations at sea.

The cause of the fire had not yet been determined by Thursday morning. Authorities stated that an investigation would ascertain the origin of the incident while search efforts continued in the waters of Palawan.

Rescued individuals hospitalized

According to the municipal health service of Coron, as reported by GMA News, six of the 42 rescued individuals had been discharged from the hospital by Thursday morning. Three others were in critical condition, and 33 remained hospitalized.

The Coast Guard indicated that the five deceased individuals had been handled by local disaster services. Their identities had not yet been made public in the initial reports available.

The Philippines has experienced several deadly maritime accidents in recent months. In January, another ferry resulted in at least eight deaths in the southern part of the archipelago, while more than 300 people were on board.

A large-scale search operation

The Philippine Coast Guard coordinated the rescue efforts with several local sub-stations, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the municipal authorities of Coron, and shipping companies with vessels in the area. Specialized teams for marine environmental protection and special operations were also dispatched to the scene.

As of Thursday morning, search efforts remained active around Coron to locate the passengers and crew members still reported missing. The Coast Guard urged concerned families to contact local authorities to facilitate the identification and tracking of missing persons.