By Adrian Portugal and Eloisa Lopez
CORON, Philippines, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Philippine firefighters found charred remains aboard a burned-out ferry on Friday, more than a day after the ship caught fire on its way from Manila to the western province of Palawan, killing five people and leaving more than 80 missing.
Thick smoke and extreme heat had earlier prevented firefighters from entering the vessel, which was carrying more than 130 people when it was engulfed in flames on Wednesday night.
The fire was declared out at 10:15 a.m. [0215 GMT].
Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said burned remains were discovered in the ferry's economy accommodation. Police forensic investigators were examining the remains for recovery and identification. The death toll stood at five as of Friday morning.
The discovery adds to the anguish of families who have spent hours waiting for news of missing relatives, some expressing frustration over a lack of information as the search continued.
The Philippine Coast Guard earlier revised the number of missing from 86 to 84 after authorities verified two people originally listed on the manifest had not been on board. The number of rescued stood at 43.
Images released by the Coast Guard showed the devastating impact of the fire inside the ferry, with rows of accommodation berths reduced to twisted metal and ash. In one image, what appeared to be skeletal remains could be seen amid the 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,” 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.
'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 has 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.
Evelyn Umpad, 64, said she went to the shipowner's office after the company failed to answer her repeated calls seeking information about her son and daughter-in-law.
"My appeal is for them to take action and keep us updated."
The ferry company has said it was fully cooperating with government authorities investigating the incident.
CAUSE REMAINS UNCLEAR
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 (MARINA), citing survivor accounts, said two successive explosions were heard from within the ship, which triggered the fire.
The ferry, with capacity for 330 people, was also carrying five motorcycles, an electric vehicle, a forklift, a pickup truck and mostly cargo goods, according to the Coast Guard.
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.
(Reporting by Karen Lema; Additional reporting by Jay Ereno and Nestor Corrales; Editing by Stephen Coates, Kate Mayberry, Alexandra Hudson)
