Philippines searches for missing ferry passengers after fire kills at least five
Rescuers searched waters off Palawan on September 10, 2026, after a ferry fire. The coast guard reported at least five deaths and 43 people rescued, with scores still missing.
In short
- Rescuers searched waters off Palawan on September 10, 2026, after a ferry fire.
- The coast guard reported at least five deaths and 43 people rescued, with scores still missing.
Rescue teams searched waters off Palawan in the Philippines on September 10, 2026, after a fire aboard the M/V June Aster left at least five people dead and scores missing.
The Philippine coast guard reported 43 people rescued. Those figures were also reported by [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/6714628c11e1fafab17d93b8eece2aad), which said the fire began on the evening of September 9.
According to [The Guardian’s report](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/10/deadly-philippines-ferry-fire-leaves-scores-of-people-missing), the vessel’s manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew. Authorities estimated that more than 80 people remained unaccounted for, while cautioning that the figures could change.
The ferry was travelling from Manila to Coron. Coast guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said smoke, heat and the risk of explosions were preventing rescuers from entering the vessel. Search teams were using models of sea currents to identify areas where survivors might have drifted.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. The missing-person estimate is provisional and does not establish how many people have died.
