At least 35 people died and another 54 remain missing after a fire hit a passenger ferry near Coron, in the province of Palawan, in the Philippines. The Philippine Coast Guard reported that 30 bodies were recovered inside the vessel. In total, 43 people were rescued.
The fire hit the ferry M/V June Aster on Wednesday night (9), when the vessel was approaching its destination. The ferry had departed from Manila heading to Coron. According to the Coast Guard, the fire started in the cargo hold and spread through the ferry "in seconds".
The vessel was carrying 134 people, between passengers and crew, according to the manifest. Two people who were on the list informed authorities they did not actually board.
The numbers of dead, missing, and rescued may still change as rescue operations continue.
