Five dead and 86 missing as ‘heartbreaking’ fire breaks out on Philippines ferry
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Figure caption: Watch: What we know about the fatal Philippines ferry fire
By
Virma Simonette Rivera, Reporting from Manila and Kelly Ng
Published
10 September 2026, 05:08 BST
Updated 2 hours ago
At least five people have died and 86 are missing after a fire broke out on a ferry in the Philippines, the country’s coastguard said.
The MV June Aster, which set off from Manila ferrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members, was nearing its destination at the tourist hotspot of Coron when it caught fire. The blaze, which erupted at 18:45 local time (10:45 GMT) Wednesday, was still burning as of 11:00 on Thursday. Strong currents and thick smoke posed challenges to those attempting to extinguish the fire, according to the coastguard.
A survivor, Roland Lerma, told the BBC he spent two hours in the sea before being rescued. "It was cold. If the rescue had been delayed, I would definitely have died," he said.
Image source: Philippine Coast Guard
Image caption: The fire broke out as the vessel neared its destination at Coron in Palawan.
Video clips shared by the coastguard on Wednesday night showed the vessel engulfed in flames and people being pulled from the water into rescue boats.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the coastguard said. Preliminary interviews with survivors suggest the fire started in the cargo hold, according to the coastguard. Some passengers were not wearing life vests.
Forty-three people have been rescued, but it’s unclear how many are injured. Seven of the survivors were taken to a hospital on Culion Island, which has better healthcare services.
A first responder told the BBC they had never seen such a disaster in Coron, calling it "really heartbreaking."
Anelyn Magbanua is among those waiting anxiously for news about her loved ones. Her husband Marlon had been visiting their children in Manila and was on the ferry when it caught fire.
"I was expecting that the ferry would arrive at the pier between 18:00 and 19:00 yesterday," she said, adding that she went to bed early but was awakened by a cousin who told her about the fire. "I couldn’t describe what I am feeling right now. I have been crying and praying since last night."
She travelled to a hospital in Coron hoping to find Marlon among the survivors, but he remains unaccounted for.
"My two-year-old son and I are outside the hospital as we speak. We have nothing but ourselves," she said.
Rai Garcia has three family friends among those missing.
