The death toll from the fire that gutted the M/V June Aster off the Philippine island of Palawan has reached 77, with eight people still missing, as the Philippine Coast Guard pursues a criminal complaint against the vessel’s captain over alleged falsification of documents. The blaze broke out on the evening of September 9 while the ferry was approaching Coron, and according to reports it has become one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent Philippine history.
The vessel was carrying 132 people listed on its ticket manifest when an explosion was heard and fire swept through the ship at around 6:45pm local time, roughly a nautical mile off Busuanga Island. Forty-three people were pulled from the water that night. Extreme heat and thick smoke kept rescuers from boarding the burnt hull for days before crews retrieved dozens of charred remains from the interior. Police said that as of October 5, fifty of the 77 victims had been identified through DNA matching, with forensic specialists extracting usable material from dental pulp where remains were too badly burned. Identification of all the victims, according to reports, could take weeks or months.
Captain’s documents under scrutiny
Captain Roel Sarmiento, who was initially reported missing after the fire, voluntarily appeared before authorities on September 14 and has been cooperating with investigators. On September 23, the Coast Guard filed a falsification complaint with the Department of Justice over his Master Declaration of Safe Departure, a sworn document certifying a ship’s readiness to sail. Investigators reportedly found discrepancies: six passengers on the manifest did not board, one name appeared twice, and a crew member was listed despite not sailing. The maritime regulator has separately blamed improperly secured flammable cargo and filed administrative charges against Sarmiento, with further details of the criminal complaint set out in this maritime industry report.
A labour inquiry on October 8 alleged unpaid wages and benefits of about P665,874 and missing emergency plans at the operator, Atienza Interisland Ferries — though those allegations remain unproven and have not been linked to the deaths. The company has promised assistance to the families while the wreck, which ran aground off Busuanga, awaits salvage and fuel siphoning.
A turning point for ferry safety
The disaster has cast fresh scrutiny over the Philippines’ interisland ferry safety standards, a network of routes relied upon by millions. Aerial searches for the eight missing continue off Palawan and Southern Tagalog. The June Aster is already being described as the disaster that will force the country’s maritime system to answer long-standing questions about enforcement — questions that sit alongside other crises drawing global attention, from the continuing Gaza ceasefire impasse to shifting trade truces.
