MANILA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Philippine authorities
said Monday they are sending divers to drill a hole in the hull of the capsized
ferry, M/V Princess of the Stars, to get out passengers who might trapped inside
the overturned ship.
Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo
Tamayo said at a press conference that he has ordered 14 coast guard divers to
penetrate the vessel, with assistance from Navy and ship company's diving crew.
The bow 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. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Earlier Monday, Philippine navy divers who checked on
the hull reported that there are "no signs of life" around the capsized
passenger ferry.
But Tamayo said there might still be air pockets
inside the ship, where survivors could have stayed, although more than 48 hours
have passed since the ferry first went off.
The drilling is expected to process on Tuesday as the
Navy announced that it would suspend rescue at night due to the insufficient
equipments for late night operation.
Medical personnel attend to survivors of
the passenger ferry MV Princess of Stars after it capsized off Sibuyan
island, central Philippines, at a hospital in Lucena city south of Manila
June 23, 2008. Rescuers held little hope on Monday of finding some 800
people missing from the ferry, as divers prepared to drill into the ship's
hull in the hope of finding survivors in air pockets.(Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
The 23,800-ton ferry of the Sulpicio Lines, carrying
862 people on board, met rough weather at sea after it sailed off Manila en
route to central city of Cebu on Saturday. The captain ordered passengers to
abandon ship on Saturday noon and when rescuers came to the scene on Sunday
afternoon, it had overturned and had only 1/15 of the hull above the water.
The authorities said earlier on Monday they were able
to save and identify 34 survivors while they were checking the identities of
another group of 25. The rest, the authorities said, remain missing.
Alaysa Caranoo holds a photo of her
brother, who was on board the capsized ferry MV Princess of Stars, while
waiting with relatives for the latest information outside the office of
Sulpicio Lines in the port area of Manila June 23, 2008. Rescuers scoured
the seas around the capsized ferry in the Philippines on Monday for more
than 800 people missing after it sank two days ago, as the official death
toll from Typhoon Fengshen rose to about 160.(Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
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Secretary Leandro Mendoza said on Monday helicopters were deployed to check the
nearby areas for any lifeboats or survivors.
"The waves and wind must have been strong. We just
hope we can recover more survivors," he said.
The Navy has sent two patrol gunboats, a patrol ship,
two helicopters, and a Navy Islander plane to the site, as the USNS Stockham of
the United States Navy, with search and rescue helicopters aboard, has been
ordered to proceed to the Philippines from Japan to augment the rescue
team.
MANILA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine coast guard
authority on Monday night said they are checking the identities of 25 survivors
who believed to be among the missing passengers of the sunken ferry "M/V
Princess of the Stars". Full story
MANILA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Sulpicio Lines, one of the
largest inter-island shipping companies in the Philippines, may find itself in
great trouble after its flagship vessel capsized off the country's central
Sibuyan Island in Romblon province over the weekend. Full story
MANILA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Relatives of the manifested
victims of the sunken ferry "M/V Princess of the Stars" will be compensated and
receive financial assistance, the Philippine ship company announced Monday. Full story
