At least five people have died and 87 others are reported missing after a fire engulfed a ferry in waters near Palawan in the Philippines. The toll remains unstable, while local authorities acknowledge that the figures are still preliminary and search and rescue operations are continuing.
The toll remains open
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, cited by AFP, 42 people have been rescued so far. In total, 134 passengers and crew members were on board.
Of those rescued, 38 are passengers and four are crew members. However, the official version acknowledges that final information is still lacking, as authorities have not yet been able to communicate fully with the survivors.
What is known about the incident
According to the information available so far, the ferry had departed from the Port of Manila and was heading south toward Coron in Palawan province.
The Coast Guard said the fire broke out around 1.2 nautical miles northeast of Barangay Marcilla. The cause of the incident has not yet been disclosed.
Authorities speak of real-time data
A Coast Guard representative said that 87 people are still unaccounted for, but stressed that these are real-time figures that may change.
This clarification indicates that both the death toll and the number of missing people remain temporary, while searches continue in the area of the incident.
Among the missing, a family with a child
Among those not found so far are three members of the same family: Mae Lorraine Galera-Navoa, her husband Elyzer Navoa, and their three-year-old daughter, Hiraya Joy.
According to relatives, they were returning from Manila to their home in El Nido, Palawan. Family members have also published a poster seeking information and say they have still received no news about their fate.
The incident has once again highlighted the uncertainty and confusion that accompany the institutional response to such maritime tragedies, where figures change from hour to hour and families are often left without clear information.
For now, the number of dead and missing remains provisional, while searches in the waters near Palawan are continuing.