Philippine authorities say identifying victims of the MV June Aster ferry fire could take weeks or months because many bodies were badly burned. The vessel was travelling from Manila to Coron in Palawan province when a fire began in its cargo hold and rapidly spread through the ship. Seventy-six people were killed, 43 survived and 13 remain unaccounted for. Relatives have been asked to provide personal items or DNA samples to assist forensic specialists, who are examining remains for possible identifying features. The blaze burned for more than a day, producing intense heat and toxic fumes that prevented rescuers from boarding the vessel for more than 40 hours. Survivors described hearing a loud explosion before smoke and flames engulfed the ferry, causing panic on board. Some escaped by jumping into the sea, while other victims were later discovered clustered together. Authorities are continuing recovery work while investigating what caused the devastating fire.