Palawan ferry fire: 39 out of 43 survivors still in hospital, 84 missing

The number of individuals still missing following a fire aboard the passenger roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo vessel MV June Aster off Coron, Palawan, has been revised down to 84, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Friday.

In an interview over PTV's Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, PCG Spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the figure was adjusted from the 86 reported a day earlier after two individuals listed on the vessel's manifest turned out not to have actually boarded before it departed.

"Nakatanggap kami ng impormasyon mula sa dalawang indibidwal na, accordingly, kasama sila sa ticket manifest, pero noong panahon ng boarding, hindi sila nakasakay o nakasama dito sa barko (We received information from two individuals who, according to the report, were included in the ticket manifest, but at the time of boarding, they were not able to board or join the vessel)," she said.

Of the 43 confirmed survivors, 39 remain admitted across various hospitals as of Thursday night, while some have already been discharged. Five passengers were reported to have died.

Cayabyab said the shipping company, Atienza Interisland Ferries, has been extending support not only to survivors and crew but also to the families of the fatalities.

Firefighting operations aboard the vessel remain ongoing, with the PCG still unable to fully assess the ship's condition due to continuing smoke.

An attempted helicopter deployment for an aerial survey was called off Thursday due to weather conditions, though the aircraft remains on standby.

Cayabyab said the sudden spread of the fire, which survivors reported began with a loud explosion near the cargo hold, was likely worsened by strong wind, leaving many passengers unable to grab life jackets before jumping into the water.

Whether all passengers were properly equipped with life jackets remains part of the ongoing investigation, she added.

On liability, she said the PCG sees clear accountability on the part of the vessel's crew and captain given the scale of the missing and casualties, though the extent of responsibility will be determined once the investigation concludes.

"Definitely nakikita po natin, with the number of missing, with the number of casualties, definitely meron pong liability dito (We definitely see it — with the number of missing, with the number of casualties, there is definitely liability here)," she said.

The PCG is also looking into whether the crew and captain properly carried out emergency procedures and informed passengers of what to do once the fire broke out.

She appealed to families of those still unaccounted for to report to the PCG's Emergency Operations Center in Coron to help validate the list of missing against the vessel's manifest.

She said PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gavan has directed the deployment of all available resources to the search, including two vessels — one of the agency's largest — a helicopter, and medical personnel, while continuing to monitor the water for signs of oil sheen.

"We will be exerting all our best efforts, kasama po ang iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno (We will be exerting all our best efforts, together with various government agencies)," she said.

The MV June Aster caught fire on Wednesday evening while en route from Batangas to Coron, prompting the PCG to deploy assets, nearby vessels, and fisherfolk in the area within minutes of receiving the report.

The vessel passed a Vessel Safety Enforcement Inspection in March 2026 and was found compliant with safety requirements at the time.

-Philippine News Agency