27 dead as passenger boat capsizes in Philippines
The death toll from the sinking of an overloaded passenger boat amid stormy weather in the Philippines has risen to 27, officials said on Friday.
The deaths brought the total number of people killed in a week of bad weather caused mainly by Typhoon Doksuri to 40.
Forty-three people were rescued from Laguna Lake off Rizal province, east of Manila, where the MBCA Princess Aya capsized on Thursday.
This is according to Jose Hernandez, head of the municipal disaster agency in Binangonan town, where the boat sailed from.
Mr Hernandez said authorities could not say if there were missing victims because the number of passengers could not be determined, with only 22 people listed on the boat’s manifest.
The motorised outrigger was 45 metres from the shore when strong winds pummeled it.
The coastguard said the panicked passengers rushed to one side of the boat, making it tilt and capsize.
“People were screaming, and we all rushed to one side of the boat,” survivor Marr Delos Reyes said in a Manila radio interview.
According to the survivor, no one had a life jacket on.
“When the boat tipped over, passengers were trapped under a tarp used as cover against the rain. There was no way out,” he said.
The coastguard said that search and retrieval operations would continue for three days to ensure that all were accounted for.
Coastguard spokesman Rear Admiral Balilo said authorities were investigating why the boat had more passengers than its maximum capacity of 42.
“We are going to file a criminal complaint, together with the national police, against the captain and the operator of the motorboat,” he said.
The boat was allowed to sail after the storm warning from Doksuri was lifted in the area, authorities said.
The national disaster agency said that Doksuri, which moved off the Philippines on Thursday, caused floods, landslides and other accidents that killed at least 13 people.
Officials said six people drowned in flash floods, while six were killed in landslides, and a falling coconut hit one.
More than 500,000 people in 43 provinces were affected by Doksuri, including 42,831 who were displaced, the national disaster agency said.
The weather bureau said it was monitoring another storm moving towards the Philippines.
Tropical Storm Khanun was not likely to make landfall in the Philippines but would enhance the southwest monsoon and bring more heavy rains, it said.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
NationWide
Nigeria must accelerate urban sanitation reforms, stakeholders say
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s water and sanitation sector have called for accelerated reforms, increased investment and stronger collaboration to tackle urban sanitation challenges.
Rights
Police officers arrested in Ebonyi for assaulting civilian
The police command in Ebonyi has identified and detained officers over the assault on a civilian in the Ohaukwu council area.
Health
EFCC worried about cases of hypertension rising among Nigerian youths
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Clinic has expressed concern over the growing number of young Nigerians being diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes.
States
Ibadan artisan arraigned for fraud, theft
A 30-year-old artisan, Tunde Olaore, was arraigned before the Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Tuesday on charges of fraud and theft.
States
I will provide technology for Nigerian security forces to defeat terrorists, bandits: Tinubu
Mr Tinubu says his administration will deploy emerging technologies and intelligence-driven operations to combat contemporary security threats and protect Nigerians’ lives.
World
15 people killed in China’s flooding after torrential rainfall
Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of China have caused severe flooding, raising the death toll to 15 and leaving more than 300 people injured.
