Cebu sea tragedy toll rises to 37 – PCG

Philippine Navy divers retrieve a body from the waters off the coast of Talisay city, Cebu province, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, a day after a passenger ferry MV Thomas of Aquinas collided with a cargo ship Sulpicio Express Siete. AP

MANILA, Philippines – The death toll in the Cebu sea tragedy on Friday increased to 37 on Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

Commander Armand Balilo, spokesperson of the PCG, told INQUIRER.net on Sunday that three more bodies were retrieved during the underwater search of the divers Sunday afternoon.

Figures of fatalities stood at 34 before Sunday noon.

He said that more bodies could be inside the sunken MV St Thomas Aquinas, which was located about 150 feet below.

“Kung di makita sa surface search malamang nasa ilalim (If we cannot find the bodies on the surface they are probably underwater),” he said.

Technical divers went underwater for their second reconnaissance Sunday afternoon to put markers for their full retrieval operations on Monday.

The MV Sulpicio Express 7 Cargo vessel bound for Davao City and MV St. Thomas Aquinas (2Go) passenger vessel from Butuan bound for Cebu collided off Talisay City in Cebu late Friday. Both had over 800 passengers and crew.