87 people still missing in Coron ship fire —PCG

Authorities are still locating around 87 individuals following the fire that broke out on a passenger vessel bound for Coron, Palawan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Thursday.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said search and rescue operations remain ongoing.

LIVE UPDATES: Fire hits passenger ship in Coron, Palawan

“Currently, we have 42 rescued individuals and five casualties,” she said.

“Kung pagbabasehan natin, yung ibinigay sa atin na manifesto na total of 134, so we are still locating and identifying 87 individuals pa po,” she added.

(If we base it on the manifesto given to us, there are a total of 134, so we are still locating and identifying 87 individuals.)

Of the 134 people on board, 117 were passengers and 17 were crew members, according to the PCG.

Cayabyab noted that the numbers could still change as search and rescue operations continue.

In a separate update as of 8:20 a.m., PCG said the number of survivors increased to 43.

The PCG is working to identify the passengers who may include residents from Metro Manila and Palawan.

The vessel reportedly left Baseco, Manila at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Rescued individuals are being brought to a covered court in Barangay Turda in Coron and turned over to the local government for assistance.

The PCG is also looking into possible violations including whether the vessel was overloaded and whether passengers were provided with life jackets.

Cayabyab said some of the rescued passengers were found without life jackets during the incident, while others may have jumped from the vessel amid the fire. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA News