CORON, Philippines, September 13 — Philippine rescuers recovered 41 more charred remains from a ferry fire near Coron, raising the death toll to 76 and leaving 13 people unaccounted for, authorities said Saturday.
The victim count climbed after search teams retrieved additional bodies from the burnt-out MV June Aster, which caught fire Wednesday night off Palawan province, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab told Reuters.
Forty-three survivors escaped the blaze that erupted as the ferry sailed from Manila toward Coron, Cayabyab said. The cause remains under investigation, with officials examining possible explosions heard before the flames spread.
Recovery efforts continue as forensic teams work to identify victims using personal belongings and DNA matching, the Coast Guard added.