The coast guard warned the death toll of 35 is expected to grow. The M/V June Aster ran aground near the tourist hotspot after a fire erupted Wednesday evening and tore through the vessel within seconds. Thirty bodies were brought ashore from the ship, with rescue workers setting up tents to receive them. Coast guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab said the remains would be handed to police forensic investigators for identification before families are notified, noting the bodies were found in the ship's economy accommodation area. The initial transfer was capped at 30 due to the transporting vessel's capacity; more cadavers remain aboard. Five others were confirmed dead immediately after the fire. Thirty passengers and 13 crew have been rescued, while 54 people remain unaccounted for. Survivors described hearing a loud explosion before smoke and flames spread rapidly. Cayabyab said the fire began in the cargo hold and spread so fast that those who escaped had no time to put on life jackets. Relatives have flocked to Coron seeking news. Myra Cabilan, searching for her missing brother Rammel Gonzaga, 40, who was traveling on business, said: "At dawn, I still believed he survived. But he's still missing. I have lost hope." Hundreds have posted appeals on social media looking for loved ones. The ferry's manifest listed 134 crew and passengers, though two had not boarded. It was also carrying goods and vehicles. The Philippines, an archipelago of 116 million people, has a long history of ferry disasters. In January, a triple-decker ferry sank in the south, killing at least 52. The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 sank along nearly the same route where 31 died in a 2023 fire aboard the Lady Mary Joy 3. The owner of the M/V June Aster said it is fully cooperating with the investigation. (NU)