A fire broke out on the MV June Aster ferry in the Philippines, killing at least five people and leaving 86 missing, according to the country's coastguard. The vessel, which set off from Manila with 117 passengers and 17 crew members, was en route to the tourist destination of Coron in Palawan province when the blaze erupted at 18:00 local time on Wednesday. The fire was still burning as of Thursday morning, with strong currents and poor weather complicating rescue efforts, the coastguard said.

The coastguard reported that the ferry had drifted from its initial distress location, four nautical miles off Barangay Turda, to a point 7.68 nautical miles away. 'It has been carried further out by the current. These are the challenges our personnel are facing in the search area,' a coastguard spokesman told the BBC. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the coastguard has not yet spoken to any of the 43 people who were rescued.

Survivors were taken to an evacuation center in Barangay Turda, just north of Marcilla, but the state of their injuries is unclear. Anelyn Magbanua, whose husband Marlon is among those missing, described the emotional toll of the disaster. 'I couldn't describe what I am feeling right now. I have been crying and praying since last night,' she told the BBC. Magbanua had traveled to a hospital in Coron hoping to find Marlon among the survivors, but he remains unaccounted for.

Rai Garcia, who has three family friends missing, said his family had posted a poster appealing for information about the missing Mae Lorraine Galera-Navoa and her family. 'We still hope and pray for their safety,' Garcia said. Others have also posted on the Philippine Coast Guard's Facebook page seeking updates on their missing loved ones.

Maritime accidents are common in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands regularly battered by monsoon rains and typhoons. Inter-island ferries are a cheap way to move people and cargo between islands, some of which are inaccessible by air. However, the risk of severe weather and poor maintenance has led to past accidents, including the 2023 fire on the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 that killed 31 people. With 86 still missing, this disaster could prove to be among the worst in recent years.

The coastguard has not yet confirmed the exact number of missing people, with sources reporting between 86 and 87. Captain Noemi Cayabyab of the coastguard told a local radio station that 42 people had been rescued, with 38 being passengers and four crew members. However, the coastguard has not yet been able to obtain information from the rescued individuals. The Reuters news agency reported that 43 people were rescued as of Wednesday night, but no official confirmation has been provided.

What remains unknown is the exact cause of the fire and the full extent of the casualties. The coastguard has not yet released details about the condition of the survivors or the progress of the search and rescue operations. Further updates are expected as the investigation continues.