The Philippine Coast Guard said it was finally able to board the ferry on Friday, two days after the blaze erupted, due to toxic fumes and lingering heat. Spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab told a press conference that most bodies were found in the sleeping area of the boat, which had been making a 22-hour journey from Manila to the tourist hotspot of Coron.
"Agencies are currently undertaking the proper recovery and identification of the remains in accordance with established procedures," Cayabyab said. "We recognise the grief of the families affected by this tragic incident."
The fire broke out at around 6pm local time on Wednesday as the MV June Aster neared Coron with 117 passengers and 17 crew aboard. Strong currents pushed the burning vessel further out to sea from its initial distress location, complicating rescue efforts.
Forty-three people were rescued on the night of the fire. A survivor, Roland Lerma, told the BBC he floated in the sea for two hours before being rescued. "It was cold. If the rescue had been delayed, I would definitely have died," he said. Another survivor described hearing frantic cries and being trampled by panicked people as he tried to escape.
The coastguard said preliminary interviews with survivors suggest the fire started in the cargo hold. Some passengers were not wearing life vests.
The ferry, built in 2002, held valid safety certificates and passed an enforcement inspection in March, according to the Palawan Daily. Investigators are looking into potential manifest discrepancies, cargo loading integrity and crew emergency response protocols.