India Prime Tv World Desk: At least five people are dead and dozens remain missing after a devastating fire broke out aboard a passenger ferry in the Philippines. The vessel, identified as the MV June Aster, was carrying a total of 134 people, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members.
How Incident Happened
The incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as the ferry, which had departed from Baseco in Manila, was approaching its destination of Coron, Palawan, a popular tourist destination.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is actively conducting search and rescue operations, having successfully rescued 43 individuals so far, while 86 to 87 people remain unaccounted for. Rescue efforts are facing severe challenges due to bad weather, strong sea currents, and rough waves, which have dragged the charred vessel further out to sea since it first sent a distress signal about 4 nautical miles off Coron’s village of Turda.
While an official investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, a survivor reported hearing a loud explosion coming from the ship’s cargo hold, which was carrying vehicles and motorcycles.
