A large search and rescue operation is underway off Palawan island in the western Philippines after the passenger‑cargo ferry MV June Aster caught fire en route from Manila to Coron. According to the coast guard, at least five people are dead, dozens remain missing, and more than forty have been rescued. The incident again raises serious concerns about maritime passenger safety and emergency preparedness in the archipelago.
Philippine Coast Guard and naval units are conducting a major search and rescue operation off the country’s western coast after a serious fire broke out aboard the passenger‑cargo ferry MV June Aster near the tourist hotspot of Coron, Palawan. The vessel had departed Manila and caught fire in the evening hours when it was about 1.2 nautical miles off the shore, carrying more than 130 people — 117 passengers and 17 crew. Official reports indicate that at least five people have been confirmed dead, while about 80–87 remain unaccounted for and roughly 42–43 have been rescued by coast guard and civilian vessels deployed to the scene.
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