Philippines ferry fire death toll rises to 35 after bodies recovered

Coast Guard says 30 more bodies recovered after five people were initially confirmed dead in Wednesday’s disaster.

Dozens of bodies have been recovered from a ferry that caught fire in the western Palawan province of the Philippines, raising the death toll from the disaster to 35.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard on Friday, 30 bodies were recovered. Earlier, authorities said at least five people had died in the blaze.

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On Wednesday, the ferry caught fire on its way from the capital, Manila to Palawan. The vessel had been carrying more than 130 people when it was engulfed in flames.

Fifty-four people are still missing, and there were 43 survivors, authorities said.

Rescuers on Thursday struggled to get inside the vessel because of the heat and smoke, slowing efforts to search for passengers who may have been trapped.

Images provided by the Coast Guard on Friday showed the charred interior of the ship and what appeared to be human remains, ashes and burned metal, including a car.

Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said that the burned remains were discovered in the ferry’s economy accommodations. She added that police forensic investigators were examining the remains for recovery and identification.

“We recognise the grief of the families affected by this tragic incident. Rest assured that operations are carried out with utmost respect for the deceased and their bereaved families,” Cayabyab said.

Reporting from Manila on Friday, Al Jazeera’s Jamela Alindogan said a steady number of families are asking about their loved ones and messaging the ferry companies for any information.

“They had better information coming from those who had survived than actually the ferry company,” Alindogan said.

“Much of the information coming from the government and the private sector had been controlled,” she added.

Ferries are frequently used for transport in the Philippine Archipelago. Sea accidents are not uncommon due to storms, badly maintained vessels, overcrowding and spotty enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces.

“To understand this trip from Manila in the north of the Philippines to the west, it takes over a day. It’s a very long journey, but it is the most affordable mode of transportation for millions of Filipinos,” Alindogan explained, adding that it costs $50 compared with a flight, which would cost $100.

According to the manifest, 134 people were on board, 117 of them passengers and 17 crew. The 53-metre (174-foot) vessel had a capacity to carry 306 passengers and 27 crew. Two passengers listed in the manifest reported to authorities that they failed to board, the Coast Guard said.

It remains unclear what caused the fire, which began as the ferry neared the end of its journey to a popular tourist spot in northern Palawan.

According to a statement from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), citing survivor accounts, two successive explosions were heard inside the ship, triggering the blaze.