Passage to Palawan was suddenly turned into a nightmare. 100‑plus passengers aboard the MV June Aster were jolted into panic on Monday night when a fire broke out just 2.2 km off Coral’s coast.
Roland Lerma, a construction worker from Leyte province, was among the survivors he recounted to BBC News. "When I was on the floor, people were trampling me," he told reporters from a Coron hospital, describing how he slipped amid chaos before hauling himself to a buoy.
Lerma said he crawled, found footing again, and leap out into the sea, discarding all belongings to keep afloat. He floated on his back for about two hours until sailors rescued him, warning that a delay would have meant death.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the blaze began in the cargo hold after an explosion and has yet to be extinguished—visible smoke lingers on the wreckage.
Five fatalities have been confirmed; 86 passengers are missing. Families, including the wife of a missing husband and young children, are still awaiting news.
The ferry’s cruise, expected to last over 20 hours, had travelers sleeping on bunks during the night, adding to the peril. Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations on the burned vessel and at sea.
Images of the debris‑laden hull and survivors walking towards the shore illustrate the tragedy, while the survivor’s frantic escape is captured in photos he shared, underscoring the horror of the incident.
