Palawan ferry disaster climbs to 76 dead as identifications begin

The death toll from the Palawan ferry fire aboard the M/V June Aster has risen to 76 after authorities confirmed 41 more bodies aboard the burnt vessel. Earlier, 30 bodies had arrived as forensic teams began identifying remains, with five recovered earlier. The ship sits about 7.5 km off the coast near Coron; temporary graves are being prepared while DNA testing is used to match belongings to relatives. About 30 passengers (including two Chilean nationals) and 13 crew were rescued, with roughly a dozen people still unaccounted for. The ferry company is cooperating with the investigation.