The death toll from a fire aboard the Philippine ferry MV June Aster rose to 76 on Saturday after authorities recovered 41 additional charred remains from the vessel.

Rescuers brought the bodies to a port in Coron, Palawan, where forensic teams have begun the process of identification using DNA testing. Temporary tents were set up at the port for this work, and anxious relatives waited nearby for updates on missing loved ones.

The fire broke out late Wednesday aboard the ferry, which was nearing the end of a more than 20-hour journey from Manila to Coron when the blaze erupted. Survivors reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke that quickly spread through the vessel.

Of the roughly 134 people listed on the manifest, 43 have been confirmed as survivors. Thirteen people remain unaccounted for. The vessel, operated by Atienza Interisland Ferries, grounded about 7.5 kilometers off the coast after the incident.

Philippine Coast Guard officials said the priority remains identifying the victims and determining the cause of the fire. The captain's status is unclear, with reports suggesting he may be alive but not among the confirmed survivors.

This incident adds to a series of maritime accidents in the Philippines, an archipelago where ferries serve as a vital but sometimes hazardous mode of transport between islands.