Five dead and more than 80 missing in Philippine ferry fire

A devastating ferry fire off the coast of Palawan in the western Philippines has tragically resulted in at least five confirmed deaths, with 87 individuals currently unaccounted for. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, September 9, 2026, when the MV June Aster caught fire approximately 2.2 kilometers offshore near Coron. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that the vessel's manifest listed a total of 134 passengers and crew.

Emergency responders have successfully rescued 42 people from the burning ferry, comprising 38 passengers and four crew members. Search and rescue operations are still actively underway, though hampered by challenging weather conditions, including strong winds and high waves, which have also caused sea currents to drag the vessel several nautical miles from its initial location. Efforts to fully extinguish the blaze are also ongoing, and authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

Coast Guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab emphasized that the figures for the missing and rescued are provisional and subject to change as search and rescue efforts continue. Officials have also noted difficulties in obtaining detailed information from the rescued individuals at this time. Video footage shared by the Coast Guard depicted the ferry fully engulfed in flames.