WORLD> Asia-Pacific
Hopes fade for victims of capsized ferry
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-24 06:34

SIBUYAN ISLAND, Philippines - Darkness and large waves on Monday forced divers to halt their efforts to drill holes into a ferry that capsized with more than 800 people on board in the Philippines during Saturday's typhoon.

 

The rear of the MV Princess of Stars passenger ferry sticks out of the water off the coast of Sibuyan island in the central Philippines June 23, 2008. Twenty-eight passengers from the capsized passenger ferry were reported alive in the central Philippines on Monday but more than 800 remain missing after the ship sank during Typhoon Fengshen. [Agencies]

Many passengers were feared trapped inside the MV Princess of Stars after the few survivors said many passengers were still on board when the ship sank off the central island of Sibuyan.

But officials held little hope of finding people alive in air pockets under the capsized the ferry. "We feel there is no life inside," said Lieutenant-Colonel Edgard Arevalo, a Philippine navy spokesman.

The ship is resting upside down with the tip of its bow above water, and is easily visible from shore.

The Coast Guard said divers would cut open the 23,824-ton vessel today after rescue efforts were halted for the night.

At least 20 new survivors and 15 bodies were found close to Masbate Island, at least 70 km away from where the ship sank.

"We are still working on the positive identification of the survivors as well as the fatalities," Captain Gilbert Rueros said.

So far, more than 50 of the 864 people on board have been found alive and at least 20 have been reported dead.

The US military ship, USNS Stockham, with helicopters on board, has left for the Philippines to help with rescue efforts. It has dispatched a maritime surveillance aircraft too.

Twenty-eight passengers and crew onboard the ferry survived after drifting for more than 24 hours in a rubber boat.

Jessie Buot swam for his life in a life vest and made it to Sibuyan Island about 2-3 km away. "I tried to be brave because I knew if I had succumbed to my fears, I would have died," the 24-year old farm worker said.

Philippine transport authorities said yesterday they had grounded the vessels of Princess of Star owners Sulpicio Lines for inspection. The company's ships have been involved in three other major disasters in the past 21 years.

Distraught relatives of the 724 passengers and 140 members of the crew screamed at Sulpicio employees while waiting for news in the central city of Cebu, where the Princess of Stars was meant to dock.

Sulpicio said it would pay a compensation of 200,000 pesos ($4,500) each to the relatives of every person who died in the accident and would also pay damages to the survivors.