Authorities in the island town of Coron, Palawan have begun burying unidentified victims of the deadly MV June Aster fire at a temporary burial site, as the death toll from Wednesday night’s tragedy reached 76. ABS-CBN News
CORON, Palawan — The death toll from the fire aboard the passenger vessel MV June Aster in Coron, Palawan, has risen to 77 after a male crew member who was among those rescued from the ship died Tuesday afternoon at Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital.
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“Siya po kasi yung nagtamo ng may pinakamalalang pagkapaso sa buong katawan niya, halos buong katawan niya. And unfortunately nga po ay declared dead po ng ospital kahapon ng tanghali,” said Kim Ablaña, spokesperson for the Coron local government’s Emergency Operations Center.
The latest death brings the total number of fatalities to 77.
The toll includes five bodies initially recovered at the height of the incident, 71 charred bodies recovered from the vessel, and the crew member who later died at the hospital.
Ablaña said DNA samples had been collected at Borac Port from all 71 charred bodies recovered from the vessel.
The remains have been temporarily buried at a site in San Nicolas Public Cemetery while authorities await DNA test results and cross-match them with samples from relatives searching for missing family members.
Unidentified MV June Aster victims buried as families await word on missing loved ones
The identification process is expected to take about a month.
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