12 killed in Philippine ferry capsizing
A Philippine ferry capsized today on its way to a resort town south of Manila, killing at least 12 people, including a Japanese tourist, officials said.
The ferry Commando 6, a large motorised outrigger, capsized when one of its outriggers broke in waters off Verde Island midway on its journey from Batangas city to Puerto Galera on Mindoro Island, about 85 miles south of Manila, regional police Chief Superintendent Luisito Palmera said.
Coast guard district commander Commodore Cecil Chen told DZBB radio there were 48 survivors including five crew members, correcting an earlier report that said 57 people had been rescued.
Mr Palmera said three young children were among the dead.
Two other Japanese men travelling with the Japanese who died were among the survivors. It wasn’t immediately clear if there were other foreigners on the boat.
A Filipino woman travelling with them, who did not identify herself, said by telephone from Puerto Galera that it was a sunny day but that big waves flipped the boat over, breaking its outrigger.
“It happened so fast. I could not even remember how I got out,” she said, adding that the boat was still floating belly up.
She said other boats in the area came to their rescue.
Sea accidents are common in the Philippines because of rough weather as well as badly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
