Philippine Coast Guard boards burning ferry 40 hours after blaze began

The government’s maritime rescue agency finally entered the wreck of the passenger‑cargo ferry MV June Aster after delays caused by fierce heat and a thick, toxic plume of smoke that continued to billow from the ship late into the evening.

A total of five passengers were reported dead and 43 were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Despite these numbers, 84 people remain missing, including two who never boarded the ferry, according to the Coast Guard’s notice released on Friday morning.

Photographs shared by the Philippine Coast Guard on Friday show the charred hull still belching smoke, a stark reminder of the fire’s intensity. The blaze ignited at Wednesday evening, allegedly in the ferry’s cargo hold where containers were stored, as preliminary survivor accounts suggest and where many passengers were not wearing life jackets.

Coast Guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab said the biggest obstacle was the thick smoke and high temperatures inside the vessel, which posed a severe risk to rescuers. The agency eventually entered the ship at about 11:30 local time (03:30 GMT) on Friday, following the evening subsiding and a drop in the concentration of lethal carbon monoxide.

The rescue effort was supported by the Coast Guard’s largest vessel, medical teams, divers and a local diver group who stood by in Coron, the final destination for the ferry. The agency also dispatched aerial reconnaissance to map the surrounding waters and search for possible debris or survivors still trapped.

Investigators are probing several potential factors, including manifest discrepancies, cargo loading integrity and the speed and effectiveness of the crew’s emergency procedures. The ferry’s operator, Atienza Interisland Ferries, has pledged full cooperation with the inquiry.

In a statement on Thursday, the company expressed deep sorrow for the tragedy, stating, "Our hearts remain with the affected families, and we will not rest until all individuals are accounted for."

The incident has reignited discussions about safety standards for passenger ferries in the Philippines, prompting calls for more stringent maritime regulations and better emergency preparedness on all vessels.