One week after the fire that engulfed MV June Aster in the waters off Coron, Palawan, families of the victims remain anxiously waiting for answers as authorities continue to search for 12 missing people and investigate the cause of the deadly blaze.
The death of a survivor on Tuesday afternoon raised the confirmed death toll to 77 and reduced the number of survivors to 43, according to the Emergency Operation Center of the Coron Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
The victim, a crew member who suffered burns on different parts of his body, was undergoing treatment at Culion Sanatorium and General Hospital when he died at 11:34 p.m. Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the expanded search and rescue operation for the 12 missing passengers continued on Wednesday.
For some families, however, the wait extends beyond the search.
The family of Rosana Caabay-Indic is still waiting for the release of her remains, which are believed to be aboard the vessel.
Rosana had been brought to Manila by her husband, Benjamin, for medical treatment but later died. Benjamin survived the fire but suffered burns and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Coron.
Their pregnant daughter, Joanna, remains among the 12 missing passengers.
Last Saturday, search and rescue personnel recovered a casket containing a body believed to be Rosana’s, along with the remains of 41 other victims and a dog.
Papers secured
Rosana’s son, who is waiting in Coron, said the family had already secured the documents needed for her burial after being told to prepare everything, including a burial site.
They were also informed that a wake could no longer be held.
But when the family went to claim the remains, they were told that the release had been put on hold following a memorandum from Camp Crame requiring DNA examinations of the recovered remains to be conducted simultaneously.
Authorities earlier said the DNA identification and forensic examination of the recovered remains could take months.
Despite the uncertainty, Rosana’s relatives said they have already accepted her fate and are now seeking assistance for the immediate release of her remains so they can bring her home and give her a proper burial.
Her son also appealed to the management of Atienza Interisland Ferries, the vessel’s operator, to assist the family in securing the release of her remains.
‘We hope you can help us recover our mother’s remains so we can bring her home and give her a proper burial, allowing her to finally rest in peace,’ he said.
The Coast Guard District Palawan has established a Legal Assistance Desk at the Emergency Operation Center in Coron.
The vessel was traveling from Manila to Coron when it caught fire at 6:45 p.m. on Sept. 9 off Barangay Marcilla.