More bodies recovered from Philippines ferry disaster

The death toll from the Philippines ferry fire disaster rose to 35 people on Friday, after more bodies were recovered by emergency service personnel, from the burnt vessel near southwestern Palawan Province.

Fifty-four people remain missing after the fire tore through the ferry Wednesday night.

There were 43 survivors.

Rescuers on Thursday struggled to get inside the vessel because of the heat and smoke, slowing efforts to search for passengers who may have been trapped.

On Friday, the death toll rose to 35 as more bodies were recovered.

Emergency personnel, some wearing hazmat suits, were seen standing aboard a Philippine Coast Guard vessel as it docked at Port of Borac in Coron, with the remains of those killed in the ferry fire in bags on board.

The ferry sailed from the capital, Manila, and was around 7.4 kilometers (4.5 miles) off the village of Turda near its destination of Coron in Palawan province when the fire was reported.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

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.