Five dead and 86 missing as 'heartbreaking' fire breaks out on Philippines ferry

At least five people have died and 86 are missing after a fire broke out on a ferry in the Philippines, the country's coastguard said.

The MV June Aster, which set off from the capital Manila ferrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members, was nearing its destination at the tourist hotspot of Coron in the province of Palawan when it caught fire.

The blaze, which erupted at 18:00 local time (10:00 GMT) Wednesday, was still burning as of 11:00 on Thursday. The strong currents and poor weather were a challenge to those working to extinguish it, the coastguard said.

A first responder told the BBC they had never seen such a disaster in Coron, calling it "really heartbreaking".

"I was one of the people who carried and transported the casualties to the hospital last night," the first responder said, adding that the ferry was an hour away from its destination.

Video clips shared by the coastguard on Wednesday night showed the vessel engulfed in flames and people being pulled out of the water into rescue boats.

"Reports from our vessel indicate strong currents in the area," a spokesman from the coastguard tell the BBC, noting that the ferry had drifted from its initial distress location – four nautical miles off Barangay Turda – to a point 7.68 nautical miles away.

"It has been carried further out by the current. These are the challenges our personnel are facing in the search area."