Official Says Hundreds May be Trapped in Capsized Ferry
Official Says Hundreds May be Trapped in Capsized Ferry Save Email Print
Posted: 9:05 AM Jun 22, 2008
Last Updated: 9:05 AM Jun 22, 2008
Reporter: CNN

A | A | A

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) --
Relatives wait in Manila port Sunday for news; few survivors have been rescued, officials said.

1 of 3 "It's a race against time," said Sen. Richard Gordon, who is head of the Philippines Red Cross.

"There is a bubble in the ship's bowels that are now on top of the surface of the water, and we are now trying to get assistance from our own government to get divers down into the vessel as soon as the seas calm," he said.

Typhoon Fengshen has killed between 120 and 150 people in the Philippines, he said, noting that he has not heard from Red Cross chapters in the country's remote areas. Watch what's known about the ferry »

The Filipino government may ask the U.S. Navy to send in seaborne helicopters and divers who can help "recover people who may be alive under the ship," Gordon said.

The crew of the MV Princess of Stars reported Saturday that it ran aground after its engine failed during its regular run between Manila and Cebu City, according to Vice Adm. Wilfredo Tamayo.

Radio contact with the ship was lost Saturday afternoon, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Armando Balilo said.

The ferry capsized near the central Philippine island of Sibuyan, carrying 130 crew members and more than 600 passengers, Gordon said. Only four survivors and 10 bodies have been found, he said.

Don't Miss
iReport.com: Send your photos, videos, stories
The effort to reach the ferry has been slowed by rough seas stirred up by Typhoon Fengshen, which made landfall in the eastern Philippines early Saturday.

The ferry, which can weather rough seas, embarked during "Typhoon signal No. 1," which indicated there was no impending danger, Gordon said.

"But unfortunately the typhoon suddenly turned and it [became] Typhoon signal No. 3, which has now created a really, really bad problem," he said. "After that, I think the ship ran into some problems -- we're not sure about that yet -- and it drifted to seashore, ran aground and eventually capsized."

The families of the ferry passengers are "very bitter about the situation," he said.

"Obviously there's a lot of angry people among the ship's families, and I just spoke with them," he said, adding that he told grieving relatives that the Red Cross is there to "alleviate human suffering and we're doing our best right now to try to get that done."

"But we still have to reckon with the fact that the typhoon is still ravaging central Luzon."

Typhoon Fengshen was reported to have top sustained winds of 110 mph, though the storm lost strength after moving ashore.

Fengshen is still moving across the Philippines, dumping torrential rains fueled by 75 mph winds as it pushes toward Manila, according to the Filipino Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

More Stories
Disney World Monorail Crash Kills Driver

Tenn. Police Rule McNair's Death a Homicide

3 Dead After NC Fireworks Go Off, 1 In Pa. Blast

In Philly Schools, Most Students Get A Free Lunch

Speed Eaters Gain Weight, Clog Arteries But Have Few Regrets

Pedestrian Bridge Collapse Dumps People Into Lake, Hurts 16

2 Killed In California Plane Crash

Harvard Pres.: School Has Tough Choices In Decline

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
By posting this comment I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy:
You must agree to the Terms of Service to continue.