On September 10, 2026, in Manila, Philippines, a fire broke out on the passenger ferry MV June Aster off the western coast, leading to the death of at least five individuals and leaving dozens missing. Coast Guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab reported that 43 people have been rescued as an extensive search continues for the missing passengers.
The fire started on Wednesday evening, and although the vessel remains afloat, it is listing. The blaze was extinguished, but tendrils of smoke lingered by midday Thursday. The ferry had begun its journey from Manila to Coron in Palawan province when it caught fire near Coron around 6:45 p.m.
The Philippine Coast Guard, alongside military vessels, private volunteers, and fishermen, are actively searching for the missing passengers. They have alerted nearby ships and coordinated with coastal villages for assistance. Images provided by the Coast Guard depict nighttime rescue operations with personnel distributing life jackets to survivors and transporting them to shallow waters.
Efforts have been complicated by adverse weather conditions and large waves. The ferry sent out a distress signal approximately 4 nautical miles off Coron’s village of Turda, but strong currents have moved it further to 7.68 nautical miles. Rescue teams are employing drift-modeling tools to pinpoint areas where missing individuals might have been carried by the sea.
Cayabyab mentioned that the fire’s origin remains uncertain, with speculation from a survivor suggesting it may have originated in the cargo hold. Coordination is underway between the Coast Guard, the shipping company, and maritime authorities to gather more information. The ferry was carrying 134 individuals, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. There is currently no information about foreign nationals onboard.
Ferries are a prevalent mode of transport in the vast Philippine archipelago. However, sea accidents occur frequently due to various challenges, such as poor weather, vessel maintenance issues, overcrowding, and inadequate safety enforcement, especially in remote areas.
A historical note includes the infamous sinking of the ferry Dona Paz in 1987 after it collided with a fuel tanker, causing over 4,300 fatalities in the world’s most lethal peacetime maritime disaster.