Coron, Philippines: The death toll from the M/V June Aster ferry fire off Coron, Philippines, increased to 76 on Saturday after the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that 41 more bodies were found inside the burnt-out vessel.
The remains will be transported to a port in Coron, Palawan, coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said in a statement.
According to AFP, disaster agency workers carried coffins to a cemetery in the resort town, intended for the temporary burial of victims of the fire that tore through the M/V June Aster on Wednesday.
The first 30 bodies arrived by sea earlier on Saturday as forensic specialists began the painstaking process of identifying the remains.
The confirmed death toll now stands at 76, including five bodies recovered in the immediate wake of the incident. The ship sits grounded about 7. 5 kilometres (4. 5 miles) off the coast.
One-metre (three-feet) deep graves have been dug to hold the victims’ remains until DNA testing is completed, Kristine Ablana, a tourism official serving as an official spokesperson, told reporters on Saturday.
Relatives will be brought to identify personal items that may have belonged to family members.
“Once someone is able to verify. .. that this photo or these belongings are indeed those of their relative, they will be asked to provide a DNA sample,” Ablana said.
Thirty passengers, including two Chilean nationals, and 13 crew have been rescued, according to the coast guard. Around a dozen people are believed to remain unaccounted for.
