Philippine ferry fire kills 5, 87 missing: coast guard

In Philippines, at least five people were killed and 87 missing for after a fire erupted aboard a ferry near a tourist hotspot in the Palawan province, the coast guard said Thursday. The fire aboard the M/V June Aster broke out Wednesday evening about 2.2 kilometres (1.3 miles) offshore, the coast guard said, adding that five casualties had been brought ashore.

At least five people have been killed and over 80 are unaccounted for after a fire broke out on a ferry in the Philippines.

Footage shows the MV June Aster ablaze in waters near the tourist hotspot of Coron in the Palawan district.

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing. pic.twitter.com/6f7YUMyT51

— Pacific Wire (@JMChyno) September 10, 2026

"Based on the data we have right now on rescued (42) and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for," coast guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab told a local radio station on Thursday, adding the ship's manifest had listed 134 passengers and crew. Of those rescued, 38 were passengers and four were crew, Cayabyab said. "However, we have not yet been able to obtain information from the rescued individuals because we have not been able to speak with them," she said, adding attempts to put out the blaze were ongoing.
Tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the June Aster had departed from Manila.