Headline
5 dead, 86 missing after MV June Aster catches fire off Coron
Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 11, 2026
Photo courtesy: Philippine Coast Guard
MANILA, Philippines — Five people have died while 86 remain missing after passenger vessel MV June Aster caught fire off Coron, Palawan, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation.
The Philippine Coast Guard said 43 people had been rescued as of its latest update. The vessel’s manifest listed 134 people on board — 117 passengers and 17 crew members.
The fire broke out at around 6:45 p.m. on Sept. 9 as the vessel was nearing Coron. The incident occurred about 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla.
The PCG immediately deployed personnel and coordinated with the Bureau of Fire Protection, Coron Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, local authorities, nearby vessels and fisherfolk to locate and assist passengers.
Coast Guard units from Palawan were joined by personnel from the Special Operations Group and Maritime Environmental Protection Unit. BRP Suluan was also sent to the area to provide additional support.
Search teams continued looking for the missing passengers and crew on Thursday, although poor visibility, rough conditions, and thick smoke from the vessel complicated operations. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that some people could still be trapped inside the ship.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said authorities are still determining what caused the fire and are gathering testimonies from survivors and crew members.
The Coast Guard is also examining the crew’s response to the emergency and whether the shipping company could face liability. Some survivors were reportedly found without life jackets after jumping into the water as the fire spread.
The MV June Aster, operated by Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., had passed a vessel safety inspection in March and was certified to carry up to 333 passengers and crew, according to the PCG.
Following the incident, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered intensified pre-departure inspections of passenger vessels nationwide.
Search, recovery and investigation efforts remain ongoing, with authorities warning that the number of rescued, missing and confirmed fatalities may still change.
Five dead, 86 missing after MV June Aster catches fire off Coron
Five dead, 86 missing after MV June Aster catches fire off Coron
Five dead, 86 missing after MV June Aster catches fire off Coron
Five dead, 86 missing after MV June Aster catches fire off Coron
