Ferry fire in the Philippines: death toll reaches 76
41 more bodies were found from the ferry, and 13 people are missing.
The Philippine Coast Guard announced that the bodies of another 41 people have been found from the M/V June Aster ferry. The death toll from the incident has reached 76, while 13 people are still missing.
The M/V June Aster ferry departed from Manila toward Coron City on Wednesday evening. A fire broke out on its lower decks when the vessel was 2.2 kilometers away from reaching Coron port in Palawan province. There were a total of 132 passengers and crew members on board the ferry. After the fire started, rescuers pulled 43 survivors from the water.
According to investigation data, survivors reported hearing the sounds of successive explosions before the fire began. After that, the flames spread quickly to the areas where passengers were located. Officials say wind may also have contributed to this.
Some passengers jumped into the water upon seeing the fire and did not manage to get life jackets.
Currently, forensic experts and police are using the personal belongings of the deceased as well as DNA analysis to identify them.
An official investigation is also being conducted into whether safety measures on the ship were followed and how the captain acted in the first minutes of the disaster.
The ferry operator, "Atienza Interisland Ferries" company, has stated that it will fully cooperate with the investigation and will provide housing, transportation, and medical assistance to the families of the victims.
Earlier, the bodies of 30 people were found from the burned ferry, bringing the total death toll from the incident to 35 people.
