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Ferry catches fire in Philippines: 5 dead, at least 87 unaccounted for in Palawan | VIDEO

Ferry catches fire in Philippines: 5 dead, at least 87 unaccounted for in Palawan | VIDEO

Ferry catches fire in Philippines: 5 dead, at least 87 unaccounted for in Palawan

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At least five people were killed and 87 remain unaccounted for after a ferry caught fire off the coast of Palawan in the Philippines. The M/V June Aster had 134 passengers and crew aboard, with 42 rescued as search and rescue operations continue.

At least five people were killed and 87 remain unaccounted for after a fire erupted aboard a ferry near a tourist hotspot in the Philippine province of Palawan, the coast guard said Thursday.

The fire aboard the M/V June Aster broke out Wednesday evening about 2.2 kilometres (1.3 miles) offshore, the coast guard said, adding that five casualties had been brought ashore.

Video shared by the coast guard on Facebook showed the vessel completely engulfed in flames.

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"Based on the data we have right now on rescued (42) and the casualties, we still have 87 people who are unaccounted for," coast guard Captain Noemi Cayabyab told a local radio station on Thursday, adding the ship's manifest had listed 134 passengers and crew.

"Just to make it clear, this is live data and may change as our search and rescue operations are ongoing," she said.

Of those rescued, 38 were passengers and four were crew, Cayabyab said.

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"However, we have not yet been able to obtain information from the rescued individuals because we have not been able to speak with them," she said, adding attempts to put out the blaze were ongoing.

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Navashree Nandini

Navashree Nandini is a Senior Sub-Editor at WION News with over six years of experience covering Indian politics, US politics, global conflicts, foreign policy and education, with ...Read More

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