Philippines ferry fire death toll rises to 35 after bodies recovered

What the report says

Philippine authorities said the death toll from a ferry fire in western Palawan province has risen to 35 after more bodies were recovered from the burned vessel, Al Jazeera reported on Friday. The Philippine Coast Guard said 30 additional bodies were found, after five deaths were initially confirmed in the blaze. The ferry was travelling from Manila to Palawan on Wednesday when it caught fire near the end of the journey.

Officials said the ship was carrying more than 130 people. The manifest listed 134 people on board, including 117 passengers and 17 crew members. Authorities said 43 people survived and 54 remained missing as search and recovery work continued. Rescue operations were slowed by heat and smoke inside the vessel, and Coast Guard images showed extensive burn damage.

According to Al Jazeera, Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said the remains were found in the ferry’s economy accommodations and were being examined by forensic investigators for identification. The Maritime Industry Authority said survivor accounts indicated two explosions were heard before the fire spread, though the cause has not been confirmed. The incident has renewed attention on ferry safety in the Philippines, where boats are widely used for inter-island travel and maritime accidents have been linked in general to overcrowding, aging vessels and uneven enforcement of safety rules.