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Philippine authorities said it could take weeks or months to identify victims of a ferry fire that killed 76 people last week.<\/b><\/p>\n
“Most of them are already in a charred condition,” Richard Allan Mangalip, a forensic specialist from the Philippine National Police, told reporters on Sunday. Family members have been asked to help identify victims with personal items or DNA samples.<\/p>\n
The MV June Aster was heading from Manila to Coron in Palawan province, a popular holiday destination, when a fire started in its cargo hold and spread rapidly throughout the vessel.<\/p>\n
Forty-three people survived the disaster, while 13 people remain unaccounted for, authorities said.<\/p>\n
Mangalip said they were “trying [their] best to collect the possible identifying marks” from victims’ remains.<\/p>\n
But it was hard to give a clear timeline on how long the identification process would take because of the volume of specimens, he said, adding, “It could be weeks, or it could be months.”<\/p>\n
A coast guard official said on Saturday that the priority was identifying victims and determining the cause of the blaze.<\/p>\n
The fire continued burning for more than a day, releasing heat and toxic fumes that impeded search and rescue operations. It took more than 40 hours before rescuers could board the ship<\/a> in search of survivors.<\/p>\n The MV June Aster had set off last Tuesday from Manila to Coron<\/a>, a popular destination among both local and foreign tourists, known for its beaches and WW2 shipwreck diving sites.<\/p>\n Besides tourists, there were also passengers on the ferry who had been travelling to Coron for work or to visit family.<\/p>\n Survivors recall hearing a loud explosion before seeing smoke and fire. When fire engulfed the ship, chaos erupted on board, they said.<\/p>\n