MANILA, Philippines — A nighttime passenger voyage to one of the Philippines’ best-known tourist destinations turned into a massive search-and-rescue operation after the M/V June Aster caught fire off Coron, Palawan, leaving at least five people dead and dozens more unaccounted for.
As of Thursday morning, September 10, the Philippine Coast Guard said 42 people had been rescued while five people were reported dead. Based on the vessel’s manifest of 134 people, authorities said 87 were still unaccounted for, although the Coast Guard stressed that the figures were live and could change as rescuers locate survivors and reconcile passenger records.
The manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew members. Of the 42 people rescued, 38 were passengers and four were crew, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab.
The fire erupted at about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, while the vessel was approximately 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla in Coron, according to the Coast Guard. Video released by authorities showed the vessel engulfed in flames.
Survivors Pulled From the Water as Rescue Teams Converged on the Area
The emergency response drew Coast Guard units, local disaster officials, firefighters, nearby vessels and volunteer fishermen.
The Coast Guard coordinated with its sub-stations in Turda and Tara, the Bureau of Fire Protection, Coron’s disaster-response office, the municipal government and shipping companies with vessels in the Port of Coron.
Personnel from the Coast Guard’s Maritime Environmental Protection Unit and Special Operations Group were also deployed, while the BRP Suluan sailed from San Fernando in El Nido to reinforce the operation.
Images released by authorities showed volunteer fishermen helping survivors from the water — an indication of how quickly civilian boats became part of the emergency response as the ship burned offshore.
Three Survivors Reported in Critical Condition
The disaster has also left several survivors needing hospital treatment.
Coron health officials told GMA News that, among the 42 people rescued, six had already been discharged, 33 remained hospitalized and three were in critical condition. The three critically injured survivors were being treated at the Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital.
Authorities also released hotlines for families trying to determine whether relatives aboard the vessel had been rescued or admitted to hospitals.
Search-and-rescue operations continued through Thursday as authorities worked to establish the location and condition of everyone listed on the manifest.
Where Did the June Aster Come From?
Tracking information cited by AFP showed that the June Aster had departed Manila before the fire.
GMA News separately reported that the vessel came from the Baseco area in Manila and was bound for Coron when the blaze broke out.
Government maritime records provide additional background on the vessel.
MARINA’s March 2026 Philippine Nautical Highway Matrix lists the MV June Aster under Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., with a gross tonnage of approximately 490.49, a listed passenger capacity of 277, and a construction year of 2002.
Those figures indicate that the 134 people listed aboard during Wednesday’s voyage were well below the passenger-capacity figure contained in that MARINA document. However, passenger capacity alone does not establish whether all operational, safety or cargo requirements were being met at the time of the fire.
Those questions will require an official investigation.
Cause of the Fire Remains Unknown
Authorities had not determined the cause of the blaze as of Thursday morning.
That distinction is important because images of a vessel engulfed in flames do not establish where the fire started, whether mechanical failure was involved, whether firefighting equipment functioned as designed, or whether any violation contributed to the disaster.
The Coast Guard said investigators would examine the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Cayabyab also said passenger vessels undergo regular Coast Guard inspections and maintenance requirements, according to DZRH.
No oil spill had been reported around the vessel as of Thursday morning, the same report said.
The Same Vessel Had a Trip Canceled Days Earlier — But There Is No Evidence Linking It to the Fire
One detail in government transport records deserves context, but it should not be confused with evidence of what caused Wednesday’s disaster.
On September 5, just four days before the fire, the Philippine Ports Authority listed the June Aster of Atienza Interisland Ferries among sea trips canceled amid bad weather caused by the southwest monsoon or habagat.
That advisory covered a Manila route to Coron, El Nido and Liminangcong.
The PPA explained at the time that trips are automatically canceled when the Coast Guard imposes a no-sail policy, while shipping companies may also cancel voyages subject to licensing requirements.
There is currently no verified evidence connecting that earlier weather-related cancellation to the September 9 fire, and authorities have not announced weather as the cause.
Any suggestion otherwise would be premature.
Why the Number “87 Missing” Needs Careful Reporting
The figure of 87 unaccounted for comes from a straightforward calculation based on the manifest: 134 people aboard, minus 42 rescued and five reported fatalities.
But Coast Guard officials have cautioned that this figure can change.
In maritime emergencies, initial manifests sometimes require reconciliation against people recovered at different locations, survivors picked up by civilian boats, hospital records and information supplied by relatives.
Cayabyab specifically described the numbers as live data, warning they could change while search-and-rescue operations continued.
For that reason, “87 unaccounted for” is currently more precise than treating all 87 as confirmed fatalities or permanently missing.
A Search That Is Far From Over
For families waiting for news, the most important operation is no longer the burning vessel itself but the widening search around it.
Coast Guard teams and other responders are continuing systematic searches in the waters off Coron while authorities work to identify the five fatalities, treat survivors and determine who among the manifest remains missing.
The tragedy comes in waters near Coron, one of Palawan’s most prominent tourism destinations, known internationally for island-hopping, diving and its World War II wreck sites.
But for now, the focus is squarely on finding the passengers and crew who have yet to be accounted for — and determining how a routine passenger voyage ended with the June Aster engulfed in flames.
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