MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Rescuers were hampered by the smoky, charred condition of a ferry drifting in Philippine waters Friday after a fire onboard that left 84 people missing and killed at least five.
Smoke still drifted from the listing, heavily damaged ferry, which appeared to have drifted closer to shore overnight. Rescuers had struggled to get into the ferry Thursday due to the smoke and heat, and the efforts were halted overnight.
Coast guard spokeswoman Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said conditions were being assessed and getting onto the vessel was the intention Friday.
The MV June Aster had sailed from the capital, Manila, and was around 4 nautical miles (7.4 kilometers) off the village of Turda near its destination of Coron in Palawan province when the fire was reported Wednesday evening. The coast guard and other vessels rescued 43 people, some plucked from the dark waters as the ferry burned.
“The fire quickly spread. That’s when I dropped to the ground and my back was burned,” survivor Arnulfo Nokki Villanueva said in a video broadcast by News5. “I wanted to get a life jacket but failed to get one because people were stepping on me. People were in panic.”
He said he was eventually able to jump out from a window.
The coast guard, other government agencies, private volunteers and fishermen searched the nearby waters, and coastal patrols checked if some people may have drifted to shore, but no new survivors or fatalities have been found.
According to the manifest, 134 people were onboard, 117 of them passengers and 17 crew. The 53-meter (174-foot) vessel had a capacity to carry 306 passengers and 27 crew.
Two passengers listed in the manifest reported to authorities that they failed to board, bringing the number of missing to 84, the coast guard said.
Two of the survivors were tourists from Chile, according to Rachel Conserman, a staffer of the ship’s owner Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc. They are recovering from injuries in a hospital in Coron, she said, adding that there no other foreigners known to have been on the ship.
The shipping company in a statement said it is coordinating with the coast guard and maritime officials to locate missing passengers and cooperating fully with authorities to determine the cause of the fire. It said it was assisting all those on board and their families.
The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.
Coron is a popular tourist destination known for clear blue waters, limestone cliffs and rock formations.
Ferries are frequently used for transport in the Philippine archipelago. Sea accidents are not uncommon due to storms, badly maintained vessels, overcrowding and spotty enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces.
In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, ferry MV June Aster smolders off Palawan province, western Philippines, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, days after it caught fire. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, ferry MV June Aster smolders off Palawan province, western Philippines, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, days after it caught fire. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Elena Rybakina rallied past Coco Gauff 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday night and will face Aryna Sabalenka in a U.S. Open final between the top players in women's tennis.
Rybakina is already guaranteed to replace Sabalenka atop the rankings next week and on Saturday will attempt to take the trophy that Sabalenka has won the last two years.
Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the first semifinal, running away with the second set after they played largely even in the first.
“No complaints,” Sabalenka said. “I’m just super happy that I was able to pull out such tennis.”
The nightcap was more a battle, with Gauff trying to fight from behind in the final two sets, but Rybakina not letting her come all the way back.
Gauff jumped on Rybakina with a strong start — she had four aces to one for Rybakina, who leads the WTA Tour in that category — in a first set that she took in 38 minutes.
“Took a deep breath, was trying to talk positive with myself and just told myself that I need to fight and try to show good tennis,” Rybakina said.
The No. 2-seeded Rybakina won the Australian Open to start the year and capitalized on Sabalenka’s poor results in the summer to continue closing in the race for No. 1. She needed only to reach the semifinals in New York to unseat Sabalenka, who has held the top spot for 99 consecutive weeks.
Rybakina beat Sabalenka in Australia and will be seeking her third Grand Slam title on Saturday.
Gauff won her first major title as a teenager when she rallied past Sabalenka in the 2023 U.S. Open final, but nobody has been able to knock off the Belarussian in Flushing Meadows since. Pegula put up a good fight in the 2024 final and last year’s semifinals, but she couldn’t keep it close the way Sabalenka played Thursday – and wasn’t sure anybody else would’ve, either.
Sabalenka pounded 29 winners to Pegula’s 12. She has won 19 straight matches at the U.S. Open since losing to Gauff in the 2023 final.
The top four seeds made it to the women’s semifinals at the U.S. Open for the first time since 1975. Sabalenka, Rybakina and Gauff have all won multiple major titles, while Pegula is still looking for her first.
Sabalenka needs a victory to become the first player to win three in a row in Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams from 2012-14.
Sabalenka won 14 of 19 points on Pegula’s second serve, smashing balls back more quickly than they were coming at her.
Still, Pegula hung with her for a while.
It was already 4-all in 25 minutes and Sabalenka appeared to be getting frustrated with not getting anywhere on Pegula’s serve, waving at her coaches’ box in disgust after one miss. Pegula had won 18 of 20 points on her first serve when she stepped to the line serving with Sabalenka leading 6-5.
Then Sabalenka suddenly hit a backhand winner, Pegula sent a forehand long and Sabalenka hit another winner to set up a set point, and finished off the set a couple points later.
See AP’s full tennis coverage here
Coco Gauff, of the United States, serves to Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Elena Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, celebrates winning a match against Coco Gauff, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts during a match against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Jessica Pegula, of the United States, returns the ball to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts after she won the first set during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships against Jessica Pegula, of the United States, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, follows through on a shot to Jessica Pegula, of the United States, during the women's singles semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
