Philippines: the MV June-Aster ferry disaster claims at least 76 lives

14:20

The toll from the fire that ravaged the MV June-Aster ferry off the coast of Palawan island on Wednesday has significantly increased. Philippine coast guards announced the discovery of 41 new bodies, bringing the total number of victims to 76. Recovery and identification operations are ongoing.

41 new bodies found on board

The death toll from the maritime disaster in the Philippines continues to rise. After an initial count of 35 dead announced on Saturday morning, rescue teams have found 41 additional bodies in the wreckage of the MV June-Aster.

The ship, devastated by a fire on Wednesday evening, ran aground on a small islet off Coron, in the province of Palawan, in the western part of the archipelago.

The remains are to be transferred to a port in Coron, where they will be processed for identification.

Identification made difficult

Philippine authorities have planned for temporary burials while DNA analyses necessary for identifying the victims are conducted.

Families will first be invited to identify personal belongings that may belong to their loved ones. DNA samples may then be taken to confirm identities.

This procedure comes as several bodies have been found in different parts of the ship, particularly in the areas reserved for economy class passengers.

Searches continue in the wreck

Rescue teams continued their investigations inside the ferry on Saturday. Authorities had not yet indicated how many more remains might still be on board.

According to the coast guards, rescuers continued to methodically inspect various areas of the ship after discovering new victims.

The fire originated in the hold and spread very quickly throughout the ferry. According to information provided by the coast guards, the flames engulfed the vessel within seconds after an explosion.

As recovery operations continue, authorities now need to determine the final number of victims and complete their identification.