77 dead, 8 missing in Philippine passenger vessel fire

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Wednesday that 77 people were confirmed dead and eight are missing after a passenger vessel carrying 128 people caught fire off Palawan province in the southwestern Philippines last week.

PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said four people listed on the passenger manifest were verified not to have boarded, reducing the number aboard the MV June Aster from 132 to 128, according to a statement on US social media platform Facebook.

A total of 43 passengers were confirmed to have survived.

"The PCG continues to verify and reconcile passenger information as part of the ongoing accounting of all individuals listed in the MV June Aster ticket manifest," said the PCG.

The ferry departed Manila last Wednesday and caught fire in waters off Coron, Palawan.