MV June Aster captain missing, faces probe over deadly fire

The captain of the MV June Aster remains missing following the deadly fire that engulfed the vessel off Coron, Palawan, with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) saying he may have been with some of the crew members who survived the incident.

In a report by Bea Pinlac on "24 Oras Weekend," the captain was not included in the official list of more than 10 crew members who survived the fire, according to the PCG.

However, the agency said it received initial information that the captain went with some of the surviving crew members to the Turda Barangay Covered Court.

“He was with the crew who went to the Barangay Turda Covered Court,” said Commodore Noemie Cayabyab, PCG spokesperson, citing initial information from a representative of the shipping company.

The PCG is now trying to locate the captain and obtain his statement as part of its investigation into the incident.

“With the number of missing, with the number of casualties, definitely the captain has a big responsibility,” the PCG said.

“So for the Philippine Coast Guard, our main objective now is to locate the captain and obtain his statement,” it added.

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is also looking for the captain for its own investigation. The agency said he could face administrative liability if he is found to have violated maritime safety regulations.

The MV June Aster, operated by Atianza Inter-Island Ferries Inc., caught fire on Wednesday while sailing in waters off Coron. Several passengers and crew members remain missing.

Relatives of the missing passengers traveled to Palawan on Saturday aboard the MV October Lavender, another vessel operated by Atianza.

Among them was Jessica, whose mother Queny remains missing.

“I hope we can still find Mama. This is so hard, especially since she is all we have left. We no longer have our parents,” Jessica said.

The PCG said the MV June Aster had passed its vessel safety enforcement inspection and emergency readiness evaluation before the incident.

“Based on that inspection, the vessel was compliant in terms of competency, documentation and even equipment,” the PCG said.

Under standard emergency procedures, a fire alarm should sound when a fire breaks out, followed by instructions from the captain and assistance from the crew in evacuating passengers.

However, initial accounts from survivors indicated that no alarm may have sounded.

The PCG said it would still verify the accounts because some survivors remained in shock and their statements could change as the investigation progresses.

Authorities are also looking into whether a tarpaulin placed over an area of the vessel may have obstructed passengers trying to escape.

According to initial survivor accounts, a tarpaulin had been lowered because it was raining at the time.

The PCG said this could have been a contributory factor but stressed that it has yet to determine whether passengers were trapped inside the vessel.

Aside from possible maritime safety violations, authorities are also looking into the possibility of maritime crime, including the possibility that the fire was deliberately set.

Atianza Inter-Island Ferries Inc. earlier said it would cooperate with the authorities' investigation. — MCG, GMA News