Philippine rescuers board ferry 40 hours after blaze began

What the report says

Philippine rescuers have boarded the burned wreck of the MV June Aster more than 40 hours after a fire broke out on the ferry, BBC World News reported. The vessel was travelling from Manila to Coron in Palawan when the blaze began on Wednesday evening, leaving crews struggling to reach the ship because of heavy smoke, extreme heat and toxic fumes.

According to the report, five people have been confirmed dead, 43 have been rescued and taken for treatment, and 84 remain missing. The coast guard said the search expanded on Friday, with radio alerts sent to nearby vessels, divers and nurses supporting operations, and an aerial survey carried out over waters near the site. Officials said the ship was eventually boarded around 11:30 local time on Friday.

Rescue teams plan to renew firefighting efforts, starting in the cargo hold, which authorities believe may be where the fire started based on early survivor accounts. Some passengers were not wearing life vests, officials said. One survivor, Roland Lerma, described chaos as people tried to escape the flames. The Philippines' maritime authority is investigating the cause and response, while the operator, Atienza Interisland Ferries, said it would cooperate fully and help account for everyone on board.