Boat capsizes in N. Philippines, 22 killed, 28 missing

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-15 13:09

MANILA -- Twenty-two people were killed, 28 others are missing after a passenger cargo ferry capsized in high waves off the northern coast of the Philippines, the country's coast guard authority said Monday.

In an initial report, the coast guard said the motor-propelled ferry MBCA MEA JAN with 96 people on board capsized at some 50 meters from the shoreline of pallok village of Ballesterios town in Cagayan province Sunday night.

Lt. Senior Grade Gary Gimotea, coast guard public information officer, told Xinhua that 46 people have been rescued as they either swam to the shore or were picked up by passing fishing boats.

"It was very close to the shore so many passengers were able to survive," Gimotea said. "The survivors have all been identified and were brought to local police stations."

Local media quoting Ballesterios town police and officials said about 22 bodies of the drowned passengers, including children, were retrieved.

The ferry, which left the port of Calayan island at 9:30 am ( 0130 GMT) Sunday, "failed to enter port of Aparri due to big waves and strong current," the coast guard authority said, adding that the trip crossing the Luzon Strait in fair weather would cost only eight hours.

Gimotea said around 11:00 pm (1500 GMT) the ferry was dragged away from Aparri port, which sits on the mouth of Cagayan River in Luzon island, and eventually capsized.

The coast guard authority has issued notice to advice all transiting vessels to assist the rescue and has coordinated with the navy for the operation.

The coast guard's search-and-rescue vessel SAR-003 has been dispatched to the scene and a search aircraft is placed on standby.

The ferry capsized as tropical storm Dolphin is moving towards Eastern Luzon but the coast guard authority said the vessel was granted clearance to sail as the storm was still 670 kilometers away from the Calayan island at the vessel's departure.

Marine-time accidents are common in the Philippines, especially during the typhoon season, which can start as early as June and last to December. In June 21, the gigantic passenger ferry M/V Princess of the Stars capsized at the high of typhoon Fengshen, only three dozens of the 862 passengers and crew on board survived.