CORON, PALAWAN — The death toll from the MV June Aster ferry fire off Coron, Palawan has risen to 76, after rescuers recovered 41 additional charred remains from the burned vessel, authorities said.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 43 people survived the disaster, while 13 remain unaccounted for, as authorities begin the difficult process of identifying the victims and investigating what caused the deadly blaze.
41 more bodies recovered
The latest recovery operation dramatically increased the confirmed death toll.
Authorities had previously recovered 30 bodies from the vessel. The discovery of 41 additional remains brought the total confirmed fatalities to 76.
The remains were recovered after the fire was extinguished and responders were finally able to enter sections of the vessel that had remained inaccessible because of intense heat and heavy smoke.
Reuters reported that some of the remains were found in the ferry’s economy accommodation area, where the damage was particularly severe. Forensic teams have been working at temporary facilities in Coron to process and identify the victims.
The PCG has said the immediate priorities are victim identification, recovery operations and determining the cause of the fire.
Fire reportedly spread within seconds
The circumstances surrounding the fire have raised serious questions about how quickly the blaze spread and whether passengers had enough time to escape.
According to the PCG’s initial investigation, a surviving crew member said the fire started in the cargo hold and initially appeared small before rapidly growing.
Another account cited by authorities said survivors heard a loud explosion shortly before smoke and flames spread through the vessel. Reuters later reported survivor accounts involving two explosions before the fire rapidly engulfed the ship.
Authorities have not yet established the definitive cause of the fire.
The PCG has repeatedly cautioned that the initial accounts should not be treated as a final determination while the investigation remains ongoing.
Ferry was carrying more than 130 people
The MV June Aster had departed from Manila and was traveling toward Coron when the fire broke out on the evening of September 9.
Earlier PCG figures placed the manifest at 117 passengers and 17 crew members, or 134 people. Two individuals were subsequently reported to have been listed on the manifest even though they did not actually board the vessel, bringing the validated number under review.
By the latest count, 43 people survived, 76 were confirmed dead and 13 remained missing.
The vessel was approximately 39 kilometers from Coron when the fire erupted, according to the Associated Press.
Captain remains unaccounted for
One of the unresolved questions is the fate of the vessel’s captain.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said authorities had received information suggesting that the captain may have survived, but his name was not included among the 43 confirmed survivors.
The captain’s whereabouts therefore remain unclear as authorities continue efforts to establish exactly what happened during the emergency.
Shipping company could face liability
The disaster could also result in legal and regulatory consequences.
The PCG previously said the shipping company could potentially face liability depending on the findings of the investigation, particularly concerning how the crew responded once the fire broke out and whether proper emergency procedures were followed.
The vessel, operated by Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., had passed a Vessel Safety Enforcement Inspection in March 2026 and was considered compliant with safety requirements at that time, according to the PCG.
However, authorities have emphasized that passing a previous inspection does not settle questions about what happened during the September 9 emergency.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has also launched a Marine Safety Investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Survivors reportedly had little time to react
The speed at which the fire spread appears to have made evacuation extremely difficult.
PCG officials previously said some survivors were rescued without life jackets, with the sudden explosion and rapid spread of flames possibly leaving passengers with little time to retrieve safety equipment before jumping into the water.
Strong winds and sea conditions also complicated the response.
The PCG deployed its own assets while nearby vessels and local fishermen assisted in rescuing people from the water. Search operations were expanded as authorities attempted to account for everyone listed on the ship’s manifest.
Families arrive in Coron seeking answers
The tragedy has left families desperately waiting for confirmation about their loved ones.
GMA News reported that relatives of missing MV June Aster passengers arrived at Coron Port on Sunday after traveling from Manila.
Forensic identification is now among the most painful stages of the response, with authorities working to match recovered remains with families waiting for news.
Government agencies have also been providing assistance to survivors and affected families. The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s MIMAROPA office deployed personnel and distributed emergency food assistance following the disaster.
A tragedy that raises wider maritime-safety questions
The MV June Aster disaster has once again placed Philippine maritime safety under intense scrutiny.
The Philippines relies heavily on passenger ships and ferries because of its geography, but the country has also experienced several deadly maritime disasters.
CNA noted that the latest incident follows other serious ferry tragedies, including the January 2026 sinking of the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, which killed at least 52 people, as well as the 2023 Lady Mary Joy 3 fire that killed 31 people.
The latest tragedy is therefore not only about determining what happened aboard one vessel.
It has also raised broader questions about vessel inspections, emergency procedures, passenger accountability, evacuation protocols, crew preparedness and enforcement of maritime-safety rules.
Investigation now becomes the next crucial chapter
With the confirmed death toll at 76 and 13 people still missing, the rescue operation has entered a new and grim phase: identifying the victims and establishing accountability.
Authorities must now determine what triggered the fire, why it spread so quickly, whether emergency procedures were properly implemented and whether any failures contributed to the scale of the tragedy.
For the families waiting in Coron, however, the investigation is only one part of the ordeal.
Thirteen people are still unaccounted for—and behind every missing name is a family still waiting for an answer.
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