5 Killed, 80+ Missing After Philippine Ferry Catches Fire
Was the Coron rescue a Coast Guard success story or proof that Philippine maritime safety reform is a fiction?
Above: MV June Aster wreck on Sept. 10. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
The coast guard moved fast when the ferry burned off Coron, pulling 42 people out of the water overnight while flames still tore through the ship. Vessels raced to the scene and kept searching through bad weather, even while currents dragged the wreck out to sea. The cause is still under investigation, and jumping to conclusions before the facts come in helps nobody.
Government-critical narrative
This is the latest in a long history of deadly accidents that proves the promised progress in Philippine maritime safety is a fiction. Inter-island ferries are a vital mode of transportation for millions of Filipinos across the archipelago. Yet poor vessel maintenance, overloading and weak enforcement of safety regulations continue to cause numerous maritime disasters.