A fire aboard the MV June Aster passenger ship off Coron Island in the Philippine province of Palawan has resulted in five deaths. The vessel, traveling from Manila with 117 passengers and 17 crew members on board (a total of 134 people), caught fire late Wednesday night.
Emergency responders including units of the Philippine Coast Guard, fire service personnel, and local authorities were dispatched to the scene as rescue operations continued. To date, 42 passengers have been rescued while investigations into the cause of the incident remain ongoing.
