Coron ship fire started in cargo hold, survivor says -- PCG

The fire that broke out on a vessel in Coron, Palawan, started in its cargo hold, according to the initial account of a surviving crew member, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Thursday. In an interview on GTV’s Balitanghali, PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the crew member of MV June Aster told authorities that the fire started as a small one and then suddenly grew in a matter of seconds. “Based on our initial inquiry last night from one of the surviving crew, it started in the cargo hold. Initially it was just a small fire and then in a few seconds it suddenly grew,” she said. Cayabyab said authorities have yet to obtain complete details on how the fire started, as the surviving crew member interviewed by the PCG has yet to provide a full account of the incident. The PCG reported five fatalities and 43 survivors, while 86 people remain potentially missing based on the vessel's manifest. Cayabyab noted that the figure for the missing remains “live data” and may still change as search and rescue operations continue. The operation has been hampered by strong winds and waves in the area. The PCG also attempted to deploy a helicopter for aerial surveillance but poor weather conditions limited the operation. Cayabyab said the PCG is using a computer-based search and rescue planning system to determine possible drifting areas where missing individuals may be located. Fuel leak? Meanwhile, the PCG said there was no observed oil spill or oil sheen around the vessel, but authorities are checking for the possibility of a fuel leak. The vessel will have to be fully extinguished before authorities can enter it and conduct an inspection. Cayabyab said the vessel underwent pre-departure inspections, and the PCG has so far found no violations or deficiencies in its documents that could have contributed to the incident. The vessel owner remains in coordination with authorities, according to the PCG official. The extent of the owner's liability will be determined after the investigation, she added. Injuries In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Coron MDRRMO Emergency Operations Center spokesperson Kristine Mechelle Ablaña said some of the 43 rescued passengers were brought to hospitals, while others have already been discharged. “Most of them suffered burns on various parts of their bodies...Third-degree burns,” Ablaña said. Those who required further medical treatment were transferred to the Culion hospital. Of the 43 rescued individuals, Ablaña said 17 are residents of Palawan, while the others came from different provinces. Two of the rescued passengers are foreigners. Ablaña said a representative of Atienza Shipping Lines, the vessel's operator, was at the emergency operations center and was assisting in giving information and support to the rescued passengers. The company was also helping authorities with the ongoing search, rescue, and retrieval operations. The MV June Aster was traveling from Manila to Coron when the fire occurred near the waters of Barangay Turda on Wednesday evening. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined as authorities continue their investigation. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA News