All Feared lost as Philippine ferry carrying over 800 people sinks in typhoon
Pastor Dale Morgan
All Feared lost as Philippine ferry carrying over 800 people sinks in
typhoon*
MANILA (AFP) - - A ferry carrying more than 800 passengers and crew sank
in heavy seas killing at least four after Typhoon Fengshen lashed the
Philippines, officials and reports said Sunday.
The MV Princess of the Stars went down several kilometres off the coast
of Sibuyan Island in central Romblon province after being battered by
huge waves overnight when its engines failed, officials said.
Four bodies have been found washed onshore but the death toll was likely
to rise with the fate of the rest of the passengers, including 50
children, and crew unknown, officials and reports said.
"I am still hopeful for survivors," coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo
said.
Search and rescue boats were struggling to reach the submerged ferry
which left the capital Manila on Friday for the central island of Cebu.
Coast guard and navy vessels were turned back by massive waves overnight
when the ferry, stranded and taking on water, sent a distress signal.
Local mayor Nanette Tansingco said four bodies had been washed up
including a couple that had been tied together, along with debris.
"There were many plastic slippers of children also found floating on the
shore but no survivors," said Tansingco, mayor of San Fernando, a
coastal town on Sibuyan about 260 kilometres (160 miles) south of Manila.
"I sent a speed boat to check on the report, and they saw the boat
submerged with a hole in the hull. They saw the name Princess of the
Stars," she told DZMM local radio.
Local resident Melanie Rotoni said she had seen one body as well as
debris but no survivors so far.
"Life jackets and debris litter the store. I saw a dead woman in her 40s
along the shore but she was the only body I saw. There is no one else,"
she told DZMM radio.
The coast guard said the ferry's manifest recorded 702 passengers,
including 50 children, and more than 100 crew.
Typhoon Fengshen, packing winds of up 120 kilometres (74 miles) per hour
near its centre, struck the central and eastern Philippines on Saturday,
leaving a trail of destruction and killing 20 people.
Tens of thousands of people were left stranded in flash floods caused by
the storm's heavy rains and strong winds, which also knocked out power
to towns and caused extensive damage to buildings.
Coast guard commander Balilo said the large ferry was allowed to leave
Manila for Cebu on Friday night as the storm had not yet intensified.
"According to the captain's calculations, they would have arrived at
Cebu before the storm arrived. Other ships that left at the time arrived
safely," he said.
Local radio reports the ferry capsized about three to four kilometres
off the coast.
Fengshen swept northwards Sunday across the main island of Luzon,
lashing Manila in the early hours, the government weather station said.
Domestic and international flights to Manila were cancelled along with
all inter-island ferry services.
As of 4:00 am Sunday (2000 GMT Saturday) the typhoon's eye was located
just above Tayabas town, east of Manila, moving northwest at 15
kilometres per hour, the weather station said.
By Monday, the typhoon is expected to be near the northern tip of Luzon
and is expected to sweep out to the northernmost Batanes islands by
Tuesday, the weather station said.