At least five people have died and 86 are missing after a fire broke out on a ferry in the Philippines.

Axar.az reports, citing BBC, that the MV June Aster, which set off from Manila ferrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members, was nearing its destination at the tourist hotspot of Coron when it caught fire.

The blaze, which erupted at 18:45 local time (10:45 GMT) Wednesday, was still burning as of 11:00 on Thursday. The strong currents and thick smoke were a challenge to those working to extinguish it, the coastguard said.

A survivor said he floated in the sea for two hours before he got rescued. "It was cold. If the rescue had been delayed, I would definitely have died," Roland Lerma told the BBC.

According to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab, 43 people survived the incident.