Death toll from ferry fire off the Philippines rises to 76, 13 still missing
The sea does not forgive mistakes, and fire leaves no time for reflection. Tragedies at sea remind us that safety is not a formality but a matter of life and death. Behind the statistics are human lives, and each one is a reminder of how fragile life can be.
The death toll from a fire on a vessel off the coast of Palawan province in the Philippines rose to 76 on Wednesday, with 13 others still missing, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Saturday. According to the PCG, 41 more bodies were recovered, bringing the total confirmed death toll to 76. The number of survivors remains unchanged at 43.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said the agency's priority remains recovering bodies from the sunken vessel. "Right now we are focused on retrieving the bodies. After that, we will proceed with the investigation. As part of the safety investigation, we have already started interviewing all survivors on board," Cayabyab said. The PCG is investigating whether failures in the ferry's emergency response could have contributed to the high death toll aboard MV June Aster.
Meanwhile, according to Cayabyab, a search is underway for Captain Roel Sarmiento, who is still listed as missing. He added that the captain's testimony will be crucial to the investigation. "The Philippine Coast Guard is doing everything possible to find the ship's captain. As I said, his testimony will make a significant contribution to the ongoing investigation," Cayabyab said.
The ferry departed from Manila and caught fire in the waters off the municipality of Coron, a well-known tourist destination. According to the passenger list, there were 134 people on board, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. Two passengers later told authorities they did not board the vessel.
As reported by CCTV+, the death toll has risen to 76, with 13 still missing. The Coast Guard continues to recover bodies and conduct an investigation, with the search for the captain remaining a priority.
