Five dead, dozens missing in Philippines ferry fire

At least five people have been killed and 87 remain missing after a fire broke out on board a ferry in the Philippines, near a popular tourist destination in the province of Palawan. The ferry, M/V June Aster, was carrying 134 passengers and crew when it sank off the coast of Palawan, according to the country's coastguard. Video footage shared by the coastguard on Facebook showed the vessel engulfed in flames. Coastguard Captain Noemi Cayabyab told a local radio station that 42 people had been rescued so far, with 38 being passengers and four being crew. She noted that the ship's manifest had listed 134 passengers and crew, and that 87 people were still unaccounted for. The ferry had sailed from Manila and was near Coron in Palawan province when the fire started. The cause of the blaze remains unknown, but poor vessel maintenance and overcrowding have been cited as contributing factors to past accidents. In January, a ferry carrying over 350 people sank off the coast of Baluk-baluk island, killing at least 18. The rescue efforts are ongoing, and the coastguard is urging the public to provide any information that may aid in the search and rescue operation.