Bodies of victims recovered from MV June Aster arrive in Coron, Palawan

The bodies of 30 victims recovered by authorities on the MV June Aster on Friday have made it back to land in Coron, Palawan on Saturday.

The BRP Cape Engaño of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) arrived at the Borac Port in Coron at around 9:00 a.m., according to a social media report from GMA News reporter James Agustin.

At the port, the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives (PNP SOCO) have set up a station to process the bodies.

Several relatives of the passengers are in Coron, still hoping to find their missing loved ones.

The PCG estimated that at least 35 people have died in the tragedy, with around 54 people still missing. There are 43 survivors, some of whom are still recovering from their injuries at the hospital.

In a press briefing on the same day, PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said that while the Coast Guard is tasked with bringing the bodies to the port, it is the PNP SOCO who is charged with processing and identifying the remains.

Authorities are still assessing if there were still bodies inside, Cayabyab said.

While they are still determining the cause of the fire, Cayabyab said that witnesses recalled a loud explosion and fire spreading quickly.

However, Cayabyab said that the main priority at the moment was recovering the bodies.

“Currently we are focused now on the retrieval and after that we will proceed with the investigation,” Cayabyab said in a mix of English and Filipino.

The PCG spokesperson also said that it is possible that there were more people onboard the MV June Aster than what was on the ship’s manifest.

She encouraged relatives who believe that their loved ones were onboard to coordinate with the local government unit of Coron.

In an update on Saturday afternoon, more bodies were found by the PCG and PNP-SOCO inside the MV June Aster on Saturday, Cayabyab said, Agustin reported.

The PCG has yet to give details as to how many bodies were found on Saturday.

The MV June Aster left Baseco in Manila and was en route to Coron in Palawan when it was engulfed by flames around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday night. —KG, GMA News