At least 23 people drowned and 33 others were missing after an overloaded passenger ferry capsized off a northern Philippine province, the coast guard said today.
The authorities said they recovered 23 victims, who drowned after huge waves overturned the Maejan, a ferry carrying 102 passengers, just 200 feet off the shoreline of Cagayan Province, north of Manila, on Sunday morning. Most of the survivors swam to shore.
Officials said the area of the tragedy was known for its big waves and strong current. The Associated Press quoted Joseph Llopis, the mayor of Calayan Island, as saying that hours before the ferry capsized, “three children fell into the sea as the vessel was lashed by huge waves.” One of the dead was a 1-year-old.
Mr. Llopis said many of the victims were traveling to the mainland to buy food for Christmas. “There’ll be no festive mood,” the mayor said, according to The A.P. “Many of the dead were breadwinners.”
The coast guard said in a statement that the Maejan was buffeted by “big waves and strong current until it was dragged and capsized.” The local police said that the ferry was entering the mouth of the Cagayan River when it capsized. Rescue boats and small planes were dispatched to look for survivors.
Accidents at sea is pretty common for the Philippines, especially at the end of the year when its monsoon season. Last month, a passenger ferry capsized in the central Philippines after being struck by strong winds with more than 40 people being killed. About 20 storms and typhoons happen in the Philippines every year.
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