The death toll from the vessel fire on Sept. 9 off the waters of the tourist hotspot Palawan Province of the Philippines rose to 77, with eight still missing and 43 survivors, said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday.
The PCG explained that the revised casualty figures stem from a crew member who initially survived the incident and later died in hospital. Meanwhile, four passengers listed on the ticket manifest did not board the vessel prior to its departure.
Footage released by the PCG shows the passenger ferry heavily charred, with ashes and burnt metal visible at the scene.
The ferry with 128 people on board departed Manila and caught fire near waters off Coron Municipality, a well-known tourist destination.
The ferry is a frequent mode of transport across the Philippine archipelago. Due to bad weather, poor vessel maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety regulations, maritime accidents occur from time to time.