MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported on Saturday that the fatalities in the MV June Aster fire incident in Coron, Palawan have risen to 35 passengers and crew members while 54 remained missing.
DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez cited an updated report from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) which showed that 43 have survived.
He also showed the ferry’s manifest verification which indicated 117 ticketed passengers but only 115 boarded the ill-fated vessel along with 17 crew members.
“Latest data from the PCG indicated the number of confirmed fatalities has risen to 35, following the retrieval of 30 more bodies from the vessel Friday night. It also reported that 54 individuals remain unaccounted for while 43 have survived,” the DOTr chief said.
He said the fire that broke out at the vessel while at sea was already controlled after PCG’s thorough safety assessment.
Records showed that the vessel encountered distress between late evening of Sept. 8 and early morning of Sept. 9, 2026 while on Voyage No. 37 from Baseco, Manila to the Palawan town.
Lopez said the PCG and the Philippine National Police have been undertaking proper recovery and identification of remains in accordance with established procedures.
“Oil spill booms have been laid out as a precaution, even after an assessment found no oil sheen in surrounding waters,” Lopez said.
Meanwhile, Lopez said Marina and PCG, both DOTr’s attached agencies, were intensifying efforts to assist survivors and families affected by the ferry fire, prioritizing expedited insurance claims and sustained relief services.
Lopez said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed all concerned agencies to immediately attend to survivors and bereaved families, providing the support and compensation due them.
Lopez reiterated that the transportation department has been exhausting all regulatory and administrative levers to ensure claims move quickly and survivors are not burdened by delays.
"The needs of the bereaved families and the survivors remain the government's top priority. We will strive to promptly deliver aid and the compensation they deserve," Lopez said.
To expedite financial relief, Marina issued a demand letter to Interclaim Adjuster Inc., directing its full participation in timely claims processing. Interclaim representatives will arrive in Coron on Saturday to address insurance queries and begin on-ground processing.
Marina has also coordinated with the Insurance Commission, requesting its intervention to push vessel insurer Western Guaranty Corporation to speed up claims for survivors and bereaved families.
A dedicated Help Desk is now fully operational at the town hall with Marinapersonnel working alongside representatives from other concerned government agencies to provide continuous assistance.
Lopez said he has instructions to the Marina and PCG to continue working closely with all concerned agencies to ensure search and retrieval operations proceed without delay.
