Five dead and more than 80 missing in Philippine ferry fire

Philippine Coast Guard/AP

Five people died and more than 80 are missing after a ferry caught fire off Palawan island in the western Philippines on Wednesday night, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Thursday.

Forty-three people were rescued on Wednesday night after the fire broke out aboard the MV June Aster in waters off Coron, Palawan, the PCG said.

Footage released by the Coast Guard showed flames engulfing parts of the vessel and responders placing bodies in body bags.

Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab told DZXL radio that the vessel’s manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew members.

Based on the reported number of survivors and fatalities, more than 80 people were unaccounted for, and Cayabyab said the figures may change as the rescue operation continues.

The ferry had departed from Baseco in Manila and was bound for Coron, she said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

菲律宾海岸警卫队/美联社

菲律宾海岸警卫队周四表示，周三晚间，一艘渡轮在菲律宾西部巴拉望岛附近起火，造成5人死亡，80多人失踪。

菲律宾海岸警卫队表示，周三晚间，在巴拉望岛科隆附近海域，MV June Aster号货轮发生火灾，船上43人获救。

海岸警卫队发布的视频显示，火焰吞噬了船只的部分区域，救援人员将遇难者遗体装入尸袋。

海岸警卫队发言人诺埃米·卡亚比亚布准将告诉DZXL电台，该船的乘客名单上列出了117名乘客和17名船员。

根据已公布的幸存者和死亡人数，仍有 80 多人下落不明，卡亚比亚布表示，随着救援行动的继续，这些数字可能会发生变化。

她说，这艘渡轮从马尼拉的巴塞科港出发，目的地是科隆岛。

火灾原因正在调查中。

这是一则正在更新的新闻。