A ferry traveling to Palawan province in the Philippines experienced a fire outbreak on Wednesday night, prompting a major maritime emergency response. The MV June Aster, operated by Atienza Shipping Lines, departed from Manila’s Port of Baseco on Tuesday evening and was scheduled to arrive in Coron the following day. The vessel caught fire approximately 1.2 nautical miles off the coast of Coron’s Marcilla village, with the incident first reported to authorities at 18:45 local time on Wednesday.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the fire originated in the cargo hold following a loud explosion, according to survivor accounts. The ship was transporting motorcycles, an electric car, a forklift, a pick-up van, and other cargo at the time. With more than 100 passengers aboard who were sleeping in bunk beds during the overnight journey, evacuation efforts quickly became critical. Five fatalities have been confirmed, with 86 passengers currently unaccounted for and 43 individuals rescued from the incident. The fire continues to burn, with visible smoke emanating from the vessel as rescue operations remain active.
Roland Lerma, a 30-year-old construction worker from Leyte province, provided detailed accounts of the evacuation chaos. He described being trampled while attempting to flee the burning vessel before falling into the sea and remaining in the water for approximately two hours. Lerma divested himself of possessions including clothing and phones to stay afloat until rescue personnel retrieved him and other survivors. He is currently hospitalized in Coron with minor injuries and reports difficulty breathing from the previous night’s ordeal.
The incident has created distress among families of missing passengers. Anelyn Magbanua reported that her husband Marlon was aboard the ferry, returning to Coron after a visit to Manila. She was awakened by a relative with news of the fire and subsequently visited local hospitals hoping to find him among rescued survivors, but officials have indicated he remains unaccounted for. Rescue personnel have noted that many survivors are experiencing shock from the traumatic event, while ongoing search operations continue in waters off Coron.
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