Philippines - ferry disaster

Ferry sinks in Philippines, killing 5 with 63 missing

Article published on the 2009-09-06 Latest update 2009-09-07 07:53 TU

Philippine navy vessels move closer to the SuperFerry before it sank off the southern Philippines
(Credit: Reuters)

Five people were killed and dozens were left missing after a ferry carrying almost one thousand passengers sank overnight off the southern Philippines. Survivors reported mass panic as the Superferry 9 began tilting sharply well before dawn. At least 900 people were saved, in part due to the massive rescue effort by the Philippine armed forces and local boats, but one survivor said it took rescuers two hours to reach passengers.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard 63 passengers or crew members are unaccounted for. The coastguard chief has not given up hope of finding them. He says some people may have drifted away in life rafts or been picked up by private boats that took part in the rescue.

"The authorities said that the seas in the area were calm and the people [who were on the boat] were wearing their lifevests," said correspondent Girlie Minao in Manila.

Minao said that the ship's captain had ordered lifevests be distributed to passengers and gave the command for everyone to abandon ship.