MV June Aster passenger recalls harrowing choice: Drown or burn

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Richard Marcellano, a survivor of the MV June Aster fire, could still remember seeing passengers whose bodies were burning as they fell into the water.

Marcellano, along with 10 other survivors, was recovering at an evacuation center in Coron, Palawan, according to a 24 Oras report by James Agustin on Friday.

He was at the back of the vessel when the fire broke out on Wednesday night.

“Mabilis na pangyayari lang. Simpleng usok lang nag-umpisa, galing sa ibaba. Segundo lang ang nakalipas, may sumirit… tapos biglang sabog, biglang kalat ng apoy. Tapos pagkalat ng apoy, nagtalunan na kami. Pagkatapos namin tumalon, ayun, doon na sumabog yung barko. Habang nasa tubig ako, may ibang taong tumalon, nag-aapoy na yung katawan,” Marcellano said.

(It happened so fast. It started with just smoke coming from below. Seconds later, something hissed… then suddenly, there was an explosion and the fire spread. When the fire spread, we jumped. After we jumped, that was when the ship exploded. While I was in the water, some other people jumped, their bodies already on fire.)

“Sa barko pa lang po, yun na iniisip ko, ‘Di baleng sa tubig na lang po mamatay, huwag na sa apoy,’” he said.

(On the ship, all I could think was, ‘I’d rather die in the water than in the fire.’)

Marcellano spent two hours in the water before he was rescued by fishermen. He sustained burns on his arm.

The ship’s chief engineer, Danilo Monta, also survived. Monta said he saw the fire coming toward him, prompting him and another crew member to use a life raft.

At least 17 other survivors were still recovering in hospitals, including two tourists from Chile. Many of the survivors sustained burns, according to Coron Public Information Officer Kim Ablaña.

Families await news

Meanwhile, families of the missing passengers continued to wait for news of their loved ones.

Feliciano Martinito could barely eat or sleep as he waited for updates about his son and daughter-in-law, who were both passengers of the ill-fated vessel.

Martinito was among those waiting for word about their loved ones at the covered court of Barangay Turda in Coron.

“Hindi talaga ako makatulog, halos wala nga akong kain. Iyak nga ako ng iyak doon, kahit kagabi pa,” Martinito said tearfully.

(I really cannot sleep. I have barely eaten. I have been crying since last night.)

Leincio Gesolgon said three of his relatives who were aboard the ship remained missing. They were also on their way home to Palawan from Manila when the tragedy struck.

Gesolgon said the immediate families of his missing relatives were restless as they waited for news.

“Sa ngalan ng Panginoong Diyos, siyempre iyon lang yung nagpapalakas… na makita pa sila na buhay, na may milagro pa kung saan sila napadpad lang,” Gesolgon said.

(In the name of God, that is the only thing giving us strength—the hope that we can still see them alive, that there is still a miracle and that they may have ended up somewhere.)

At least 18 families gathered at the covered court of Barangay Turda, waiting for word about their missing relatives. Social workers also spoke with the families.

The death toll from the ferry fire rose to 35 on Friday evening after responders recovered 30 bodies from the vessel after the blaze was extinguished. The number of survivors remained at 43. — Jean Mangaluz/VBL, GMA News