PALAWAN, Philippines — At least five people have died and 86 remain unaccounted for after the passenger ferry MV June Aster was engulfed in flames near Coron, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation in waters complicated by strong currents and difficult weather.
At least five people are dead and 86 remain unaccounted for after a fire broke out on a ferry in the Philippines, the country's coastguard says. Live updates: https://t.co/ru6QA0UOLJ pic.twitter.com/jAUyCTw1yg
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 10, 2026
The ferry’s manifest listed 134 people aboard — 117 passengers and 17 crew members. The Philippine Coast Guard initially reported 42 survivors and 87 people unaccounted for, while a later Reuters update said 43 people had been rescued. Based on the manifest, that would leave 86 still unaccounted for.
134 people listed aboard
43 rescued in the latest report
5 confirmed dead
86 unaccounted for based on the manifest
Authorities say the figures remain live and may change as the search continues.
MV June Aster caught fire near Coron
The fire broke out at around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, as the MV June Aster sailed in waters near Coron in Palawan province.
The Coast Guard placed the emergency roughly 1.2 nautical miles, or about 2.2 kilometres, northeast of Barangay Marcilla. The vessel had been travelling toward Coron after departing Manila.
Video released during the emergency showed large flames consuming sections of the ferry at night as rescue vessels moved through the surrounding waters.
Rescue count rises to 43
Early Coast Guard figures showed 42 people rescued — 38 passengers and four crew members — with five deaths confirmed and 87 people still unaccounted for.
A subsequent Reuters report said the number rescued had increased to 43. That change reduces the number unaccounted for to 86 when calculated against the 134 people listed on the manifest.
The missing figure should not be treated as a death toll. Officials have stressed that the numbers could change as survivors are found, people rescued by different vessels are identified and passenger records are checked.
Strong currents make the search harder
Rescue crews faced poor weather, strong waves and powerful currents during the overnight operation. The burning ferry was also reported to have drifted from its earlier position.
That creates a wider search area because anyone who entered the water could also have been carried away from the vessel.
Sea conditions can quickly complicate searches for missing passengers, as seen in another ferry man-overboard search in Cook Strait, where rescuers also had to account for changing conditions on the water.
Fisherfolk and Coast Guard crews join rescue
The operation has involved Philippine Coast Guard units, firefighters, Coron disaster-response officials, local government teams and volunteer fisherfolk.
The Coast Guard also deployed BRP Suluan (MRRV-4406) to assist, while nearby vessels were asked to support the emergency response.
Authorities have described the effort as a coordinated rescue operation, with teams simultaneously searching for missing people and dealing with the burning ship.
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Dozens of survivors taken to hospital
Many of those rescued required medical care. Among the first 42 survivors, officials said 33 remained hospitalized, six had been discharged and three were in critical condition.
The three critically injured survivors were being treated at Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital, according to GMA News’ report on the Coron emergency response.
Those medical figures relate to the original group of 42 survivors and do not necessarily describe the condition of the subsequently reported 43rd survivor.
Families urged to contact authorities
Coron authorities have asked families searching for relatives to contact local hospitals and emergency officials so names can be compared against the passenger manifest and survivor records.
Emergency numbers released locally include 0950 851 0441 for Coron District Hospital ER, 0995 394 3432 for Coron MDRRMO and 0953 269 7909 for municipal social welfare assistance.
Coron is a major Palawan tourism destination
Coron is one of the Philippines’ best-known island tourism areas, famous for diving, limestone scenery and World War II shipwreck sites.
Ferries are also a vital form of transport across the Philippines, where thousands of islands depend heavily on sea links for passengers and cargo.
Major passenger-vessel emergencies can therefore become complex operations involving ships, hospitals, local governments and coastal communities. A separate passenger ferry disaster off northern Cyprus similarly required an urgent search for people missing at sea.
Cause of ferry fire remains under investigation
Authorities have not confirmed what caused the blaze. Investigators are expected to examine where the fire began, how it spread and the condition of the vessel.
Claims blaming an explosion, mechanical failure, electrical fault or negligence should not be treated as established until investigators release findings.
For now, the priority remains finding the 86 people still unaccounted for. Five deaths have been confirmed, 43 people have been reported rescued, and authorities warn that those numbers could change as operations continue off Coron.
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