The Philippine ferry MV June Aster, which departed from the port of Baseco in Manila on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, bound for Coron in the province of Palawan, caught fire on the evening of Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after a reported explosion in the hold. According to the manifest, 134 people were on board, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. Rescue teams were only able to board the ship on Friday, September 11, 2026, nearly 40 hours after the fire started, where they found charred bodies. As of the latest update released by the Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday, September 12, 2026, 35 bodies have been recovered, 43 people have survived, and 54 remain missing.
Roel Sarmiento, deemed responsible by the coast guard, remains unaccounted for and has not been questioned.
Built in 2002, it held valid safety certificates and had been inspected in March.
The coast guards say they want to first complete the recovery of the bodies before the investigation.
Its authorized capacity was 306 passengers and 27 crew members, much higher than the actual number on board.
