The death toll from the fire that occurred last Wednesday on a ferry near the municipality of Coron, in western Philippines, rose to 76, according to local authorities following the discovery of 41 more bodies.
The remains recovered in recent hours from the vessel MV June Aster were transported to the port of Coron, explained Noemie Cayabyab, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, in a conversation with Philippine television ABS-CBN.
The vessel, on which 134 people were traveling -117 passengers and 17 crew members-, was heading to Coron, in the province of Palawan, a well-known Filipino tourist destination, when the fire broke out, the cause of which has not yet been confirmed.
So far, 43 people have been rescued, including the Chilean citizens Tábata Jara and Lucas Jofré, who survived by escaping by swimming.
The Coast Guard and the National Police are carrying out the identification of the bodies, while maritime authorities investigate the origin of the vessel’s fire, owned by Atienza Inter-Island Ferries.
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The incident took place about 2.2 kilometers northeast of the Marcilla neighborhood, at the southeastern tip of Busuanga Island.
The firefighters entered the ferry for the first time on Friday, after extinguishing the fire more than a day after it broke out, which allowed authorities to access areas that had been difficult to reach due to the dense smoke and extreme heat caused by the fire.
Philippine Coast Guard officer Geronimo Tuvilla said at a press conference this Saturday that the immediate priority was now to identify the victims and determine the cause of the flames.
Meanwhile, the Maritime Industry Authority released a statement that, citing survivor testimonies, states that two explosions were heard inside the vessel shortly before the fire broke out.
