Questions grow over the June Aster tragedy as shipping firm says vessel was below capacity

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 12, 2026

Photo Courtesy: PCG

Questions surrounding the M/V June Aster tragedy are deepening after the vessel’s shipping company said the ferry was operating below its maximum passenger capacity when the fire broke out.

The statement from the legal counsel of Atienza Shipping comes as authorities continue to account for those aboard the vessel and investigate what caused the deadly incident. The June Aster had a listed capacity of 306 passengers, according to reports.

The tragedy has already claimed dozens of lives, with authorities continuing search and recovery operations for those still missing. The latest reports put the death toll at 35, underscoring the scale of the disaster.

But beyond the rising number of casualties, attention is now turning to the circumstances surrounding the voyage — including the ship’s actual passenger load, safety measures and what happened in the critical moments after the fire began.

The shipping company has assured assistance to victims and their families as authorities work to establish the full circumstances of the tragedy.

As the investigation moves forward, the question is no longer simply how many people were aboard the June Aster, but whether everything that could have been done to keep them safe was in place when disaster struck.