PCG Files Criminal Complaint Against Master of Burned-Out Ferry

The Philippine Coast Guard has filed its first criminal complaint in connection with the tragic fire aboard the ferry June Aster, which killed at least 77 people and left eight others missing.

On September 9, the ferry June Aster left Manila and got under way for the port of Coron, Busuanga Island. At about 1845 hours that night, the Aster caught fire at a position about one nautical mile off the east side of Busuanga. Passengers who escaped reported a blast followed by an intense fire. First responders pulled 43 people from the water, then turned to the grim task of search and recovery.

After the fire, the wreck went hard aground off the coast of Busuanga Island, just south of Mindoro, enabling boarding and search operations. 77 bodies have been recovered, and eight people remain missing. The process of identification of the remains will take longer: some of the bodies were so charred by the intense heat that forensic specialists have had to look for usable DNA material in dental pulp, inside of the victims' teeth.

Aerial search operations continue for the eight missing people off Palawan and Southern Tagalog. The shipowner has retained a salvor, and discussions are under way on the prospect of salvaging the wreck.

Meanwhile, in Manila, the PCG has filed a complaint with the Philippines' justice department against the June Aster's captain, Roel Sarmiento. The captain survived the fire and voluntarily met with investigators on September 14, the week after the casualty. He now stands accused of "falsification of public documents" in connection with his Master's Declaration of Safe Departure process - the unique Philippine regulation requiring a documented safety check at the outset of every voyage. The specific allegation has to do with the number of people listed on the vessel's manifest.

"We had six passengers who were initially listed on the ticket manifest but did not board the ship," a PCG spokesperson told local radio station dzBB. "We also found a duplicate entry for one passenger's name, while another entry listed a crew member who did not actually board the ship."

Improper passenger counts are a regular problem in Southeast Asian ferry casualties, and make it difficult for first responders to know how many people may be missing or whether an overloading condition may have existed.

The complaint is the start of the investigative process and will now be evaluated by the National Prosecution Service. Additional complaints are being prepared, the PCG said in a statement.