PUERTO PRINCESA CITY: A survivor of the September 9 fire that engulfed passenger ferry MV June Aster passed away on Tuesday afternoon.
The survivor was a crew member of the ill-fated vessel and was being treated for serious burn injuries at the Culion Sanatorium and General Hospital when he passed away. Authorities did not release the crewman’s identity.
With his death, the Emergency Operation Center of the Coron Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office has raised the tally of fatalities to 77 and reduced the number of survivors to 43.
Meanwhile, the expanded search and rescue operation for the missing 12 passengers of the vessel continues on Wednesday, entering a full week since the tragedy took place at sea off Coron, where the vessel was headed after leaving a Manila port.
Authorities also resumed their investigation to find out the circumstances that led to the deadly blaze. Inquirer/ANN
