Philippines ferry fire death toll rises to 76, 13 missing

The death toll from the ferry fire off the Philippine province of Palawan has risen to 76, with 13 people still missing, barely two days after the ship went up in flames.

The death toll increased after emergency officials recovered 41 additional charred bodies from the MV June Aster, raising the confirmed fatalities from 35 to 76.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) released the statistics on Saturday after more than 48 hours of search and rescue operations on the ferry and in the water.

The Coast Guard said 43 passengers and crew members survived the disaster, while 13 people listed on the vessel’s manifest remained unaccounted for.

Two others listed on the manifest reportedly told authorities they did not board the ferry, meaning the final casualty figure could still change as recovery and identification operations continue.

The recovered remains are expected to be transported aboard the BRP Cape Engano on Sunday.

The MV June Aster was travelling from Manila to Coron in Palawan when it caught fire on Wednesday night.

Initial reports said 134 people were listed on the vessel’s ticket manifest, comprising 117 passengers and 17 crew members.

Five people were initially confirmed dead after the fire, while 43 passengers and crew were rescued.

Following the extinguishing of the blaze and completion of a safety assessment, authorities recovered another 30 bodies from the charred vessel.

The latest recovery operation has now pushed the death toll to 76, with authorities continuing efforts to recover and identify remains and determine the whereabouts of those still missing.