Smoke From Charred Ferry Hampers Rescue Efforts as 84 Remain Missing in Philippines
At least five people were killed and 43 rescued after the MV June Aster caught fire near Palawan’s Coron
MANILA, Sept 11: Rescue operations were hampered on Friday by thick smoke and the heavily charred condition of a ferry that caught fire in Philippine waters, leaving 84 people missing and at least five dead.
The MV June Aster remained listing and badly damaged as smoke continued to rise from the vessel. It appeared to have drifted closer to shore overnight after rescue teams were unable to enter the ferry on Thursday because of intense heat and smoke.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said authorities were assessing the condition of the vessel, with plans to board it as part of Friday’s search operation.
The ferry had departed from Manila and was sailing toward Coron in Palawan province when the blaze broke out on Wednesday evening. At the time, the vessel was about four nautical miles (7.4 kilometres) from the village of Turda, near its destination.
Coast guard personnel and other vessels rescued 43 people, including some who were pulled from the dark waters as flames engulfed the ship.
Survivor Arnulfo Nokki Villanueva described the rapid spread of the blaze and the panic among passengers. He said his back was burned after he dropped to the floor and that he was unable to reach a life jacket because people were stepping over him. He eventually escaped by jumping through a window.
The Coast Guard, government agencies, private volunteers and local fishermen continued searching surrounding waters. Coastal patrols were also deployed to check whether any passengers had managed to reach nearby shores. No additional survivors or bodies had been located as of Friday.
According to the passenger manifest, 134 people were initially listed aboard the 53-metre (174-foot) vessel, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. The ferry was designed to carry up to 306 passengers and 27 crew.
Two passengers listed on the manifest later informed authorities that they had never boarded the vessel, reducing the number of people officially considered missing to 84.
Two Chilean tourists were among those rescued and were receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Coron, according to Rachel Conserman, an employee of the ferry’s owner, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc. She said no other foreign nationals were known to have been aboard.
The shipping company said it was working with the Coast Guard and maritime authorities in the search for missing passengers. It also said it was supporting survivors and their families while cooperating with investigators seeking to establish what caused the fire.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the blaze.
Coron is a popular tourist destination in Palawan, famed for its clear waters, limestone cliffs and dramatic rock formations. Ferries remain an important means of transportation across the Philippine archipelago, where maritime accidents have periodically been linked to severe weather, poor vessel maintenance, overcrowding and inadequate enforcement of safety standards, particularly in remote areas.
