Philippines ferry fire: death toll reaches 35 as 54 remain missing

The death toll from a fire aboard the ferry M/V June Aster off Coron, Palawan, in the Philippines has risen to 35, the Philippine coast guard said on Saturday 12 September 2026, as 30 bodies were brought ashore and 54 people remained unaccounted for.

How many bodies have been recovered?

Thirty bodies were transported from the M/V June Aster to a port near the resort town of Coron, Palawan, on Saturday morning, where tents were set up to receive them. Coast guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab told a Saturday press conference the remains would be handed to police forensic investigators for “proper disposition and identification” before local authorities informed families, and said the bodies had been found in the ship’s economy accommodation area. “Currently, we are focused on the retrieval, and after that we will proceed with the investigation,” she said. Five other deaths had been confirmed in the immediate aftermath of the fire.

Where did the fire start?

Cayabyab told a radio station on Friday that the fire began in the cargo hold and spread through the vessel within seconds. “From the time that they heard the loud explosion, the appearance of smoke, and then fire. It spread very quickly,” she said, describing survivors’ accounts. “Everything happened in seconds,” she added, saying the passengers who escaped had no time to put on lifejackets. The ship ran aground near the tourist area after the fire erupted on Wednesday evening.

How many people are still missing?

The ferry’s manifest listed 134 crew and passengers, two of whom did not board, according to the coast guard. Thirty passengers and 13 crew have been rescued so far, and 54 people remain unaccounted for. Asked how many bodies remained aboard the ship, Cayabyab said authorities would provide an update later in the day. Police investigators were seen arriving at the port shortly after the press conference ended.

Casualty figures have been revised as retrieval work has continued: earlier coast guard accounts described a ferry fire off Palawan that left five dead and 80 missing, and then a toll of 35 with more than 50 people unaccounted for.

Why are ferry disasters common in the Philippines?

The archipelago nation of 116 million people has a long history of disasters involving the inter-island ferries that connect its more than 7,000 islands. Many travellers rely on cheap and poorly regulated boats and ships, despite regular accidents. On Thursday, the company that owns the M/V June Aster, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc, said it was fully cooperating with the investigation.

What do families say?

Myra Cabilan said she flew to Coron to look for her missing brother, 40-year-old Rammel Gonzaga, who had taken the ferry from Manila on a business trip with his brother-in-law. “His wife had just given birth a month ago. He was so happy he was given a daughter,” Cabilan said, fighting back tears. “At dawn, I still believed he survived. But he’s still missing. I have lost hope.”

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Philippines ferry fire off Palawan?

The Philippine coast guard put the death toll at 35 on 12 September 2026, after 30 bodies were brought ashore near Coron and five other deaths were confirmed earlier.

How many people are still missing from the M/V June Aster?

Fifty-four people remain unaccounted for, while 30 passengers and 13 crew have been rescued. The ferry’s manifest listed 134 crew and passengers, two of whom did not board.

Where did the fire on the M/V June Aster start?

Coast guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab said the fire began in the cargo hold and spread through the ship within seconds after an explosion was heard.

Who owns the M/V June Aster?

The ferry is owned by Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc, which said on Thursday that it was fully cooperating with the investigation.

With reporting from The Guardian.

Stock image, not from the events described. Camera Slr — Sebastian Pichler / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)