Philippine Ferry Fire Death Toll Rises to 35 as Crews Reach Burned Vessel

CORON, Philippines, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Philippine rescuers recovered 30 bodies from a burned-out ferry on Friday, raising the death toll from the blaze to 35, authorities said.

Firefighters found the remains after they gained access to the vessel for the first time, having extinguished a fire that had hampered search and rescue efforts since Wednesday night.

Responders in protective suits were seen carrying black body bags from a small boat onto a Coast Guard vessel, video footage released by the Coast Guard showed.

Thick smoke and extreme heat had earlier prevented rescuers from entering the ferry, which was carrying more than 130 people when it was engulfed in flames.

As families waited for news of missing relatives, some expressed frustration at the lack of information they were receiving.

It was not immediately clear how many people remained unaccounted for, but authorities had reported 84 missing before Friday's recovery of 30 bodies. The number of rescued stood at 43 as of Friday morning. 

Images released by the Coast Guard showed the destruction caused by the fire inside the ferry, with rows of accommodation berths reduced to twisted metal and ash. One image showed what appeared to be skeletal remains amid charred debris in a heavily damaged section of the vessel. 

Another photograph appeared to show a burned vehicle.

"We recognize the grief of the families affected by this tragic incident. Rest assured that operations are carried out with utmost respect for the deceased and their bereaved families," Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said.

Richard Marceliano, one of the survivors, told GMA News he saw a small amount of smoke that quickly turned into a raging fire and spread through the ferry within seconds. He said he and other passengers spent nearly two hours floating in the sea before they were rescued.

The fire is the latest in a string of deadly maritime accidents in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands where millions rely on ferries and small boats to travel between provinces and islands.

In January, more than 60 people died when a passenger vessel, carrying more than 300 people, sank en route to the southern province of Sulu.

'IT HURTS SO MUCH'

As the search continued, stories of those still unaccounted for began to emerge.

A trip meant to celebrate a renewal of wedding vows instead brought grief and uncertainty for Jonnsban Tibay, 60, who fears his wife, Eden, was among those trapped on the ferry. 

He had not accompanied her, and the couple were on a video call as the fire broke out. "She said, 'We're leaving now.' I told her not to hang up and that we should keep the video call going. I was about to ask her to join our prayer when the call suddenly cut off," he said.

Tibay does not believe his wife was able to escape. 

"I'm 100% certain she didn't jump. She must have been trapped," he said. "She was diabetic and physically weak. She was no longer as agile as before."

"It hurts so much," Tibay said. "My two children can't stop crying."

At a port in Coron, Myra Bilan, whose sister and brother-in-law are missing, sobbed. Bilan, 47, said the couple had been travelling to Palawan on business to deliver beds.

"I hope our government takes action. So many people have died," she said. "I hope they don't turn a blind eye to poor families like us."

Outside the office of shipowner Atienza Inter-Island Ferries in Manila, frustrated relatives waited for information about their loved ones.

The ferry company has said it was fully cooperating with government authorities investigating the incident.

It remained unclear what started the blaze, which broke out as the ferry neared the end of its more than 20-hour voyage to Coron, a popular tourist spot in northern Palawan.

A statement from the Maritime Industry Authority, citing survivor accounts, said two successive explosions were heard from within the ship, triggering the fire.

The ferry, with capacity for 330 people, was also carrying five motorcycles, an electric vehicle, a forklift, a pickup truck and other cargo, according to the Coast Guard.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Additional reporting by Jay Ereno and Nestor Corrales; Editing by Stephen Coates, Kate Mayberry, Alexandra Hudson and Hugh Lawson)