A ferry fire in the Philippines has claimed the lives of 76 people, with rescuers continuing to search for 13 people still unaccounted for.
The MV June Aster caught fire while travelling from Manila towards the popular tourist destination of Coron in Palawan province, one of the Philippines’ best known holiday regions.
Vision released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows the intense ferocity of the blaze.
The vessel was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members when the blaze broke out about two kilometres offshore from Coron.
The Philippine Coast Guard has now confirmed 76 deaths after rescuers recovered a further 41 bodies from the ferry. Forty three people survived the disaster, while 13 remain missing.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Survivors reported hearing explosions shortly before the ferry was engulfed by flames, with initial accounts suggesting the fire may have started in the vessel’s cargo area.
Investigators are now examining the lower decks and engine room for clues about how the blaze began and spread so rapidly.
The ship was carrying vehicles and general cargo as well as passengers when the incident occurred.
Rescue efforts were initially hampered by thick smoke, extreme heat, rough conditions and the risk of further explosions. Some survivors were forced to jump into the sea as the fire spread through the vessel.
The Philippine Coast Guard, military personnel, local fishermen and other vessels joined the initial rescue operation, with 43 people eventually brought to safety.
The tragedy is one of the Philippines’ deadliest maritime disasters in recent years and has renewed concerns about safety in a country where ferry travel is an essential form of transport between its thousands of islands.
Authorities are continuing to recover remains from the vessel while investigators work to establish exactly what caused the fire and whether any safety issues contributed to the scale of the tragedy.
