41 ferry fire victims laid to rest in Coron; 12 still missing

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Forty-one recovered bodies were temporarily laid to rest in Barangay San Nicolas, Coron, Palawan, on Monday as search and rescue operations continued for 12 people still missing after a fire struck MV June Aster while approaching Coron on Sep. 9.

Kristine Mechelle Ablaña, municipal tourism officer of Coron, said in a phone interview at 4 p.m. on Monday that authorities had temporarily buried the bodies processed by forensic personnel as identification procedures continued.

The forensic team had collected samples and documented the remains. Authorities were also showing photographs of the recovered bodies and their belongings to relatives at the municipal government to help identify the victims.

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Authorities have yet to release the identities of the recovered victims pending completion of the identification process.

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Second sweep

Joint search and rescue teams had already gained access to several previously unexplored sections of the vessel as the investigation into the fire that killed 76 people continued.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said the teams fully penetrated the ship’s bridge, crew accommodations, economy passenger accommodations and air-conditioned passenger accommodations.

“These areas have been 100 percent penetrated by our response teams. A secondary sweep will be conducted to ensure the recovery of any remaining evidence and other materials relevant to the ongoing investigation,” Cayabyab said in an advisory.

The teams have also accessed about 65 percent of the cargo hold, where survivors said an explosion that preceded the fire came from.

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Authorities are continuing their search of the area as part of the recovery and investigation operations.

Cayabyab said responders also continued to remove water from the vessel’s engine room, taking out 13 drums of oily water mixture.

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“We have also sent a demand letter to the shipping company, directing it to immediately engage a competent salvor to undertake further siphoning operations and assess the structural integrity and condition of MV June Aster,” Cayabyab said.

The Coast Guard disclosed that it would deploy a legal team to assist victims and bereaved families, particularly regarding claims and available assistance.

Meanwhile, the PCG is conducting both a maritime safety investigation and a maritime crime investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine possible liabilities.

Earlier, the PCG confirmed that the passenger ferry passed mandatory safety inspections before the fire engulfed it.

Cayabyab said the vessel’s manifest listed 117 passengers and 17 crew members, or a total of 134 people on board.

She noted that this number was well below the ship’s maximum capacity of 333 passengers, indicating that the vessel was not overcrowded when the incident occurred.

The PCG also confirmed that the vessel had sufficient life jackets for those on board. It likewise underwent an emergency and readiness evaluation on June 10, which included a successfully completed firefighting drill.

Authorities are now looking into how the ship’s captain and crew responded during the emergency, particularly in the crucial moments before the fire rapidly spread.

Survivor’s ordeal

Meanwhile, a 13-year-old survivor recounted her harrowing escape from the MV June Aster fire in Coron, Palawan, saying thick smoke engulfed the vessel and separated her from her uncle.

The girl said she had traveled with her uncle to Manila to visit her cousins. They were returning to Palawan when the tragedy occurred.

When the fire broke out, she was holding on to her uncle from behind. But the thick smoke made it difficult for her to breathe, forcing her to let go of him.

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She found a small opening and squeezed herself through it to escape. She then saw a door leading toward the sea. INQ