Disasters & Incidents
Philippine ferry fire toll reaches 76 as DNA work starts
The death toll from a Philippine ferry fire rose to 76 on Saturday after the coast guard confirmed the discovery of 41 more bodies aboard the burnt-out M/V June Aster, as authorities began the process of identifying victims.
The ferry caught fire Wednesday and now sits grounded about 7.5 kilometres off the coast near Coron, Palawan. Coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the newly found remains would be transported to a port in Coron.
The first 30 bodies arrived by sea earlier Saturday as forensic specialists began identification work. The confirmed death toll includes five bodies recovered in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Authorities have dug one-metre-deep temporary graves for victims' remains until DNA testing is completed, said Kristine Ablana, a tourism official serving as an official spokesperson. Relatives will be brought in to identify personal items that may have belonged to family members and will be asked to provide DNA samples if belongings are verified.
Thirty passengers, including two Chilean nationals, and 13 crew members were rescued, according to the coast guard. Around a dozen people are believed to remain unaccounted for.
Cayabyab said survivors described hearing a loud explosion before smoke and fire spread from the cargo hold within seconds. She said those who escaped did not have time to put on life jackets.
Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., which owns the M/V June Aster, said Thursday it was cooperating with the investigation.
Update
The coast guard confirmed the discovery of 41 more bodies aboard the burnt-out ferry.
The first 30 bodies arrived by sea in Coron on Saturday as forensic specialists began identification work.
Authorities dug temporary graves to hold remains until DNA testing is completed.
Relatives will be asked to identify personal items and provide DNA samples when belongings are verified.
Around a dozen people are believed to remain unaccounted for.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 13:30:32 UTC.
Update
The Philippine coast guard said the death toll from the ferry fire had risen to 76.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 12:56:59 UTC.
Update
Bodies of victims arrived at a port near Coron, Palawan, on Saturday morning.
Coast guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab warned the death toll of 35 would grow.
Cayabyab said the remains would be turned over to police forensic investigators for disposition and identification before local authorities inform families.
Cayabyab confirmed the recovered bodies had been found in the ship's economy accommodation area.
Police investigators were seen arriving at the port after the coast guard press conference.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 02:52:46 UTC.
Update
The known death toll from the M/V June Aster fire has risen to 35.
The coast guard said 54 people are still unaccounted for.
Coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said more bodies remained aboard the ferry.
The 30 recovered bodies were being carried on a patrol boat due to arrive Saturday, with remains to be taken to the Port of Borac in Coron.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 13:48:11 UTC.
Update
Philippine teams recovered 30 bodies from the M/V June Aster, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard called the figure an initial count.
The retrieval and transfer of the bodies began at about 5:16 pm local time, 0916 GMT.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 13:22:33 UTC.
Update
The Philippine Coast Guard said 30 bodies had been found aboard the ferry after the fire.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 13:04:13 UTC.
Update
Bodies were found in the economy accommodation area of the M/V June Aster.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the whole ship had been searched.
The Coast Guard said it could not yet give an exact number of bodies seen and would release figures after retrieval and recovery protocols were set.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 10:45:06 UTC.
Update
The Philippine Coast Guard said rescuers found bodies aboard the ferry after the fire.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 09:54:48 UTC.
Update
Coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the fire began in the cargo hold.
Cayabyab said the fire may have spread faster because passengers reported strong headwinds.
Police investigators, explosive ordnance disposal experts and army personnel headed by small boats on Friday afternoon toward the grounded ferry.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 07:39:41 UTC.
Update
The number of people unaccounted for was updated to 84.
The coast guard said survivors described an explosion, smoke and fire spreading within seconds.
Rescuers were still battling smoke and planned to enter the ferry for firefighting operations.
The ferry was still smouldering about a kilometre from Coron after running aground just off a smaller island.
The coast guard gave a revised breakdown of 43 rescued people as 30 passengers and 13 crew.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 02:43:40 UTC.
Update
Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc said it was cooperating with the investigation and had mobilised available resources.
The ferry was carrying goods, an electric vehicle, a pickup truck and motorcycles.
Fishermen and private resort owners joined the search, while the Philippine Army deployed rescue boats and had an aircraft on standby.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 10:31:52 UTC.
Update
A coast guard spokeswoman said one survivor reported hearing a loud explosion from the cargo hold before smoke and fire spread quickly.
The coast guard said rescuers had been unable to search the ferry because the fire had not yet been extinguished.
The ferry was aground on an island in Palawan province.
The ferry had left Manila and was headed for Coron.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 09:42:04 UTC.
Update
The Philippine Coast Guard later told reporters that one more person had been rescued.
The number of people missing was updated from 87 to 86, while at least five deaths remained reported.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 September 2026 at 03:47:47 UTC.
Update
Coast guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab said the 42 rescued people included 38 passengers and four crew.
Cayabyab said the figures were live data and could change as search and rescue operations continued.
Cayabyab said authorities had not yet been able to obtain information from the rescued people because they had not spoken with them.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 23:59:31 UTC.
Update
Coast guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab said attempts to put out the blaze were ongoing.
Cayabyab said the ship's manifest listed 134 passengers and crew.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 23:30:04 UTC.
Update
The Philippine Coast Guard said 87 people were missing after the ferry fire.
Source note: AFP news report published on 9 September 2026 at 23:21:36 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Around a dozen people are believed to remain unaccounted for.
The cause of the fire has not been established in the supplied information.
Source
AFP news report published on .