The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) says joint authorities reported an initial count of 30 cadavers recovered on board MV June Aster on September 11, 2026, following the declaration of fire out and subsequent safety assessment.
Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published September 14, 2026
Palawan Ferry Disaster: 76 Dead, 43 Survivors as Search for 13 Missing Continues
CORON, PALAWAN — The death toll from the devastating fire aboard the MV June Aster has risen to 76, while 43 people have been confirmed as survivors and 13 remain unaccounted for, Philippine authorities said as the search and recovery operation continued Monday.
The passenger roll-on/roll-off vessel was traveling toward Coron, Palawan, when fire broke out on the evening of September 9. The vessel had departed from Manila and was nearing the end of its voyage when the blaze rapidly engulfed parts of the ship.
The Philippine Coast Guard said its personnel have completed an initial search of the ferry’s compartments. The operation is now focused on continuing the search for the 13 people who remain missing and determining whether additional evidence can be recovered from the badly damaged vessel.
Survivors recount a rapidly spreading fire
Survivors have described a terrifying sequence of events in which smoke and flames spread rapidly through the vessel. Several survivors reported hearing explosions before the fire intensified.
Authorities have said survivor accounts will form part of the investigation into what caused the blaze and how the emergency response unfolded.
Earlier reports indicated that some passengers were forced to jump into the sea as the fire spread, with some rescued without life jackets. Strong winds and difficult sea conditions complicated the rescue operation.
Of the 43 confirmed survivors, many required medical treatment following the disaster. Government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, have been providing assistance to survivors and their families.
Forensic teams face difficult identification process
The recovery of victims has presented another major challenge.
Many of the remains recovered from the burned vessel were severely damaged by the intense fire. Authorities have warned that identifying some victims could take weeks or even months, as forensic specialists collect DNA samples and compare them with samples provided by relatives.
The recovery operation has brought additional grief to families waiting in Coron for confirmation of whether their loved ones were among the victims.
The tragedy has also raised questions about the circumstances aboard the vessel, including the fire’s origin, emergency procedures and the actions of the crew.
Questions surrounding the captain and crew
The fate and whereabouts of the vessel’s captain have also become part of the investigation.
Authorities previously received information that the captain may have survived the fire, but his name was not included among the 43 officially confirmed survivors. The Coast Guard has sought to locate him because his account could be important in establishing exactly what happened during the emergency.
Investigators are also examining whether emergency procedures were properly followed and whether passengers received adequate instructions during the evacuation.
The vessel had passed a Vessel Safety Enforcement Inspection in March 2026 and was reported compliant with safety requirements at that time. That earlier inspection is now among the factors investigators will consider as they determine how the disaster unfolded.
A tragedy that raises broader maritime safety concerns
The June Aster disaster has renewed scrutiny of passenger safety in the Philippines, where ferries remain an essential form of transportation between the country’s thousands of islands.
The tragedy has also prompted calls for better passenger tracking. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has called for faster nationwide implementation of digital passenger manifests so authorities can immediately determine who was actually aboard a vessel during an emergency.
The original June Aster manifest listed 134 people, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. Authorities later determined that two people listed on the manifest had not actually boarded, leaving 132 confirmed people aboard. The current accounting is 76 dead, 43 survivors and 13 still missing.
For the families still waiting for answers, however, the numbers remain more than statistics. The search for the missing continues, while investigators work to determine how a routine voyage to one of Palawan’s most popular destinations became one of the country’s deadliest maritime disasters in years.
GMA News’ 24 Oras Weekend reports on the latest developments in the MV June Aster ferry disaster off Coron, Palawan, where authorities recovered 41 additional bodies from inside the burned vessel, bringing the reported death toll to 76.
The report comes as search and recovery teams continue working through the severely damaged ferry. Authorities are also dealing with the difficult process of identifying the recovered remains, with forensic procedures expected to be necessary for many of the victims.
The disaster occurred on September 9, when the MV June Aster caught fire in waters off Coron while carrying passengers and crew. Forty-three people survived, while 13 people remain unaccounted for based on the latest reported figures.
The video provides on-the-ground visual context for the recovery operation and the condition of the vessel following the fire. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, while authorities are also examining the vessel’s safety history, the emergency response and the circumstances surrounding the evacuation.
Source: GMA News / 24 Oras Weekend, September 14, 2026.
🧩 Bottom Line:
The MV June Aster disaster has left 76 people dead and 13 still missing, while 43 survived. Authorities are continuing the search for those unaccounted for and investigating the cause of the fire, the emergency response and possible liability.
SOURCES: GMA NEWS ONLINE – PCG: Efforts focused on finding more survivors as many questions surround MV June Aster fire
ABS-CBN NEWS – Rescuers pull more victims from charred M/V June Aster
MANILA BULLETIN – PCG: MV June Aster’s compartments fully explored; search for 13 missing continues
