The death toll from a ferry fire off the Philippines has risen to 35, with officials warning the number could increase further. The M/V June Aster, which ran aground near Coron, Palawan, after a fire erupted on Wednesday evening, is still being searched for survivors. The coast guard confirmed that 30 bodies had been recovered and transported to a port near Coron, with additional remains expected to be retrieved in the coming days. The fire, which spread rapidly through the vessel, has left 54 people unaccounted for, according to the coast guard.

The incident has sparked widespread grief and concern among families of the victims. Myra Cabilan, who traveled to Coron to find her missing brother, described the emotional toll of the tragedy. "His wife had just given birth a month ago. He was so happy he was given a daughter," she said, fighting back tears. "At dawn, I still believed he survived. But he’s still missing. I have lost hope."

The coast guard spokesperson, Noemie Cayabyab, confirmed that the fire began in the cargo hold and spread through the ship within seconds. "Everything happened in seconds," she said, adding that survivors had not had time to put on lifejackets. The vessel, which was carrying 134 passengers and crew, also had goods, an electric vehicle, a pickup truck, and motorcycles on board. Two individuals listed on the manifest had not boarded, according to the coast guard.

Rescuers faced significant challenges in accessing the vessel due to the heat and smoke, which slowed efforts to locate trapped passengers. Survivors described the chaos of the fire, with one man recounting how he dropped to the ground and suffered burns to his back. "I wanted to get a life jacket but failed to get one because people were stepping on me. People were in panic," Arnulfo Nokki Villanueva said in a video broadcast by News5.

The ferry, which sailed from Manila, was approximately 7.4 kilometers off the village of Turda when the fire was reported. The cause of the fire has not been determined, and the company that owns the M/V June Aster, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc, has stated it is fully cooperating with the investigation. The incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with inter-island ferries in the Philippines, where many rely on poorly regulated vessels for transport between the country’s more than 7,000 islands.

What remains unknown is the full extent of the casualties and the exact cause of the fire. While the coast guard has confirmed the retrieval of 30 bodies, the number of additional remains to be recovered is unclear. The families of the missing continue to seek information, with some expressing despair over the inability to identify their loved ones. The tragedy underscores the need for improved safety measures and regulation in the region’s maritime transport system.