Wednesday, September 16, 2026 -At least 77 people have been confirmed dead and eight remain missing after a passenger vessel carrying 128 people caught fire off Palawan province in the southwestern Philippines.
The Philippine Coast Guard said Wednesday that 43 people survived the disaster, which occurred in waters off Coron last week.
The vessel, MV June Aster, had departed Manila before catching fire while sailing toward Palawan.
Authorities initially believed 132 people were aboard, but four individuals listed on the passenger manifest were later confirmed not to have boarded, bringing the verified number of people aboard to 128.
The Philippine Coast Guard continues to verify passenger records and reconcile information as the search for the eight missing people continues.
The high death toll has made the incident one of the country's most serious recent maritime disasters, with authorities still working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the fire.
0 Comments